Earliest Christian Inscription North of the Alps Discovered in Frankfurt
A 3rd-century silver amulet reveals a groundbreaking early testimony of Christianity in Northern Europe, reshaping historical understanding of its spread.
- The 'Frankfurt Silver Inscription,' a 3rd-century Latin text on a silver amulet, is the earliest known Christian artifact found north of the Alps.
- The amulet, discovered in a Roman grave in Frankfurt's Praunheim district, dates between 230 and 270 CE, predating prior evidence of Christianity in the region by 50 to 100 years.
- Advanced CT scanning technology was used to virtually unroll and decipher the fragile 18-line inscription, which includes invocations to Jesus Christ and references to early Christian liturgy.
- The artifact indicates the buried man, aged 35-45, openly identified as a Christian during a time of persecution, a rare and significant risk in the 3rd century.
- The discovery challenges existing historical timelines of Christianity's spread in Northern Europe and highlights the cultural and religious significance of the Roman city of Nida, now modern Frankfurt.
The Jerusalem Post 
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