Archaeologists have made a remarkable discovery at the Topraktepe archaeological site in Turkey, where they unearthed a 1,200-year-old loaf of burned bread that bears the image of Jesus Christ. The bread, dating back to the 7th or 8th century, was found alongside four other carbonized loaves at the ancient city of Eirenopolis. The loaf displays a faint depiction of Christ as a sower or farmer, a portrayal distinct from the traditional Christ Pantocrator iconography commonly found in Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox art.
Officials noted that this unique representation reflects the symbolic importance of fertility and labor in the religious thought of the period. The artifacts, which survived through carbonization, are considered some of the best-preserved examples from Anatolia. The discovery provides insight into early Christian rituals, particularly the use of communion bread, and underscores the region’s rich historical and religious legacy.
Additionally, the loaves are part of a broader context of early Christian finds in the Anatolia-Caucasus region. In 2024, officials announced the discovery of one of the world’s oldest Christian churches in Armenia, dating back to the 4th century, the same period Armenia officially adopted Christianity. Furthermore, in Olympus, an ancient Lycian port city in Turkey’s Antalya province, archaeologists uncovered a 5th-century Christian church with an inscription reading, ‘Only those on the righteous path may enter here.’
The finds are not only significant for their historical and religious value but also for the exceptional preservation conditions that allowed such ancient artifacts to remain intact. The Karaman Governorship highlighted that these discoveries are among the best-preserved examples ever identified in Anatolia. Such findings continue to offer valuable insights into the spread and evolution of Christianity in the region, enriching our understanding of early religious practices and cultural traditions.