Global Arab Network | Syria: 5th century skeleton found in Byzantine cathedral

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Syria: 5th century skeleton found in Byzantine cathedral

Edited by Maha Karim

Saturday, 15 August 2009 13:23

A cathedral with a skeleton remains in it, dating back to the Byzantine era, was unearthed by the Syrian excavation team in Tal Al-Hasaka site, north eastern Syria.

The cathedral ,which dates back to the Early Christianity Era, is 18 meters long, and includes a four meter wide northern hall, a 6.5 meter wide middle hall and a three meter wide southern hall, Al-Hasaka Archeology Director Abdul-Maseeh Baghdo said in a press release on Saturday.

It also includes two column bases, and the floor is inlayed with reddish-yellow baked clay.

In the cathedra's northern hall, an entrance leading to the service area was discovered where a grape squeezer and a skeleton of a human who died of torture were found.

The excavation team also found the cathedral's stairway exit consisting of four steps, with another four steps facing them the opposite way.

Moreover, the team found intact columns reaching five meters in height with ornaments, as well as the cathedral's collapsed ceiling which was built from baked clay and basalt stones.

A bimah - a platform where a religious preacher stands - was uncovered, confirming that this site is a cathedral, according to the Archeological director. (KUNA)

Global Arab Network

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Chris - why don't you prin the pictures

|2009-08-15 20:45:29

Very interesting article on the archeology of the era. Maybe publish more pictures of this and other sites.

neveryoumind - forensic medicine

|2009-08-15 20:49:06

Forensic medicine has come a long way if they can tell from a 1500 yr old skeleton that torture was the cause of death.

It seems unlikely a grape press would be found in a church...

Ray	\|2009-08-16 16:22:28

Wasn't intended to be science, more of a commentary piece.

Mark - Concierge

|2009-08-17 15:19:19

Forensic studies have come along way, and yet some injuries would always have shown obvious acts of murder.
A grape press found in a church is not at all unusual, considering wine has played a part in the Christian religions almost since it's inception.

Fred Little - 5th C skeleton found in Cathedral

|2009-08-16 08:33:06

What is one make of the grape squeezer? Was it one of the modes of torture?

Chris - Cathederal

|2009-08-16 17:57:30

Early christian churches might have had a grape press. Bread and wine are part of the Christian ritual.

Anonymous

|2009-08-24 11:33:31

It was also part of the early Hebrew practice on the Sabbath at all Synagogues

Robert Wooten

|2009-08-17 20:49:46

I thought a grape sqeezer was a woman who jumped into a vat of grapes and jumped on them.

Kathleen Griffin - Byzantine "cathedral"

|2009-08-18 13:41:44

As a "bimah" is found in a synagogue, this is confusing; does the journalist mean "pulpit"? A burial within a "cathedral" suggests an important person; bishop or saint is most likely. As a cathedral is the seat of a bishopric, it ought to be fairly simple to identify this building from Byzantine pre-conquest records, & tentatively identify the body too.

Sandy Van Eysinga

|2009-08-18 20:47:13

Perhaps the "grape squeezer" or press was actually a baptistry, for baptism by immersion of converts.

Sandy Van Eysinga - Torture victim a saint?

|2009-08-20 13:13:22

On further reflection, it was common for early Christians to revere those who had been tortured and killed for their faith as saints, and if their bodies were recovered the saints' remains were treated very honorably and they considered them to have healing power. Very often a church was built on the grave of such a saint because of that. I think you have found the body of the saint of your church there.