The oldest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps was found in

An extremely thin roll of silver foil found in a 3rd-century tomb in Frankfurt is the earliest archaeological evidence of Christianity north of the Alps. Christianity in Gaul and Germany is mentioned in historical sources from the late 2nd century, but prior to this discovery, evidence of Christians living north of the Alps dates back to the 4th century.

The tightly rolled scroll, only 3.5 centimeters (1.38 inches) long, is an amulet, a kind of talisman worn on a rope or ribbon around the neck. It was discovered during excavations in 2017-2018 at a 3rd-century burial site on Hellmannstrasse. The excavation uncovered 127 closely buried graves in an area of ​​5,382 square feet. Among the 127 tombs, 113 are inhumation tombs and 45 have no burial objects. This is an unusually high proportion of burials; all other Roman cemeteries in Frankfurt contain approximately 10% of burials. It is also unusual in that it is located in the northwest corner of the ancient city, rather than outside the city walls along one of the main roads. The grave goods found in most of the tombs are exceptionally fine compared to those found in other tombs in ancient Frankfurt. Compared to other cemeteries, more different types of glass were found here, as well as a wide variety of jewelry (glass beads, jet, stones, crystals) and 14 pairs of shoes placed at the feet of the deceased.

But the silver amulet found in grave 134 is the most special artifact. It was found in the tomb of a man approximately 35-45 years old, who died around 230-260 AD. The organic ribbon hanging from it is long gone, but the amulet still nestles at the base of his neck. Even during the excavation, archaeologists could tell that it was a talismanic scroll with inscriptions inside. Conservators at the Frankfurt Archaeological Museum stabilized and studied it, examined it under a microscope and X-rays, and confirmed that it contained an inscription.

However, reading it is a complex challenge. The thin foil was fragile and rolled so tightly that conservators were afraid to try to unroll it manually, but in May 2024, researchers at the Leibniz Center for Archaeology in Mainz (LEIZA) used cutting-edge X-rays and CT to digitally Way to unfold it technology. They were able to scan it at high resolution to create a 3D model, which could then be analyzed to piece the flat, rolled-up sections together and make the inscription legible. The text became fragmented due to silver dropping around the edges and was subsequently deciphered by theologians and language experts.

Professor Dr. Marcus Schulz, an archaeologist at Goethe University in Frankfurt and an expert on Latin inscriptions, finally deciphered the 18 lines of the “Frankfurt Silver Inscription” like solving a puzzle. “Sometimes it took me weeks or even months to come up with my next idea. I consulted experts such as the history of theology, and together we worked through the text piece by piece, eventually deciphering it.” […]

Unusually, the inscription is entirely in Latin. “This was unusual for the time. Usually such inscriptions on amulets are written in Greek or Hebrew,” Scholz explains. The writing is also very subtle. The author must have been a careful scribe.

Unusually, there is no mention of any other faith than Christianity in the inscription. As a rule, a mixture of different faiths can always be expected with this type of precious metal amulets until the fifth century. Often elements of Jewish or Pagan influence can still be found. However, there is no mention in this amulet of the Almighty God of Judaism, Jehovah, nor of the archangels Raphael, Gabriel, Michael or Suriel, nor of the ancestors of Israel such as Isaac or Jacob . There are also no pagan elements such as demons. The amulet is purely Christian.

Frankfurt silver inscription translated into English:

(In the name of Saint Titus?)
Holy, holy, holy!
In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
lord of the world
Try your best to resist [ability?]
All seizures(?)/setbacks(?).
God(?) bestows happiness
Admission.
This rescue device(?) can protect
that person
surrender to will
Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
since before jesus christ
Kneel down: people in heaven,
earthly peace
underground and every tongue
Confess (to Jesus Christ).

Experts are just beginning to assess the discovery’s significance for early Christianity and theologians. Some statements in the text were not confirmed until decades later. For example, at the beginning of the “Frankfurt Silver Inscription” there is a mention of St. Titus, a disciple and confidant of the Apostle Paul. Like the prayer “Holy, Holy, Holy!” it was not really known in Christian liturgy until the fourth century AD. (Sanshajion). Finally, the text also quotes almost verbatim what Paul calls a Christian hymn in his letter to the Philippians (here: Philippians 2, 10-11).

Therefore, the “Frankfurt Silver Inscription” is one of the most important testimonies of early Christianity in the world. Its discovery opened new horizons for archaeology, historical science and theology, but also raised many new questions.