Overview
- Archaeologists at Topraktepe (ancient Irenópolis) recovered five carbonized loaves dated to the 7th–8th centuries in southern Turkey.
- One loaf preserves a depiction of Jesus alongside a Greek inscription expressing thanks to “Blessed Jesus,” while four others bear Maltese-cross impressions.
- The loaves survived with exceptional surface detail after being carbonized and then buried in an oxygen-poor setting with stable temperature.
- Researchers propose that the breads may have been used in ritual contexts, potentially including Communion, but they stress the interpretation remains provisional.
- Planned work includes archaeobotanical studies to identify cereals and non-destructive microscopy and tomography to assess structure, carbonization, and production.