16th-Century Chinese Inscription Unearthed at Jerusalem's Mount Zion

The porcelain artifact, bearing a Ming Dynasty inscription, highlights historical trade links between Imperial China and the Ottoman Empire.

Archaeologists discovered the oldest-known Chinese inscription in Israel on a porcelain bowl fragment at Mount Zion, Jerusalem.
The inscription, dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1520-1570), reads: 'Forever we will guard the eternal spring.'
Mount Zion holds religious significance as the site of King David's tomb and the Last Supper, according to tradition.
The artifact underscores trade relationships between Imperial China and the Ottoman Empire during the 16th century.
This finding is part of a larger excavation effort that has primarily uncovered artifacts from the Second Temple and Byzantine periods.