A newly uncovered fifth-century Christian mosaic in the ancient city of Urfa, Turkey, long revered as the traditional birthplace of Abraham, is offering scholars a deeper look into how early Christians understood creation, Scripture, and liturgical life.
Archaeologists working at Urfa Castle announced that the floor mosaic, dated between 460 and 495 AD, presents a visual reflection of biblical themes. The artwork displays animals, plants, and depictions of the classical elements, air, water, earth, and fire, arranged in a pattern that mirrors the order and beauty of the Book of Genesis.
The excavation team says the imagery was intentionally scriptural. The natural scenes “appeared to mirror biblical themes, with the animals and plants recalling God’s creation in Genesis and the four elements representing the harmony and order of the world described in Scripture,” according to the Daily Mail.
A Worship Space Marked by Scripture and Church Leadership
The mosaic includes a Greek inscription naming early Christian leaders. Excavation Director Professor Gulriz Kozbe told Turkey’s Anadolu Agency (AA) that early analysis shows the floor “likely served as the floor of either a church, a chapel, or what we call a martyrium, a shrine to a martyr,” according to AA.
The inscription itself was commissioned “for the protection of Count Anakas and his family,” Kozbe explained, and references Bishop Kyros of the region, Elyas (Ilyas) as head priest, and Rabulus as deacon—figures who helped shape the faith life of Urfa’s Christian community according to Turkiye Today.
At one corner of the mosaic, researchers identified medallion-shaped designs symbolizing cosmic elements. “These medallions likely appear at all four corners of the floor,” Kozbe noted, adding that the arrangement offers valuable insight into early Christian worship, though “more literature research” is needed to fully interpret the layout according to AA.
Burials Reveal a Center of Early Christian Leadership
The excavators also uncovered the tombs of three clergy members buried directly within the site—evidence, they say, of ongoing religious activity at Urfa during late antiquity. Kozbe reported that “we have found at least three, but work on these will continue next year,” indicating the area served as a resting place for religious officials linked to the structure according to AA.
The discovery highlights Urfa’s longstanding reputation as a spiritual crossroads. Long identified with Abraham, the city has deep biblical roots stretching across Jewish, Christian, and Islamic history. This new mosaic reinforces its significance in Christian heritage, connecting believers today with the earliest generations of disciples who worshipped in the region.
A Link to Other Major Christian Discoveries
News of the Urfa mosaic follows last year’s international attention on another groundbreaking early Christian mosaic—the 1,800-year-old Megiddo Mosaic uncovered in Israel. That mosaic contains one of the earliest explicit professions of Christ’s divinity, including the inscription: “The god-loving Akeptous has offered the table to God Jesus Christ as a memorial,” according to the Daily Mail.
Carlos Campo, CEO of the museum that temporarily displayed the Megiddo Mosaic, called the find “the greatest discovery since the Dead Sea Scrolls,” while researchers emphasized it was “the most important archaeological discovery for understanding the early Christian church,” according to the Daily Mail.
The mosaic also bears the names of five Christian women—Primilla, Cyriaca, Dorothea, Chreste, and Akeptous—showing the “importance of women in the church,” according to the Daily Mail.
A Window Into the Faith of the First Christians
Together, these discoveries show how early Christians expressed their faith not only in words but in stone, art, and worship. The Urfa mosaic—rich with biblical symbolism and marked by the names of early church leaders—stands as another testament to the enduring Christian presence in the lands of Scripture.
As excavations continue in 2026, scholars hope the site will reveal even more about how the earliest believers prayed, remembered the saints, and proclaimed God’s work in creation.
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