Unique Frescoes of the Good Shepherd Discovered in Anatolia – History

A beautifully frescoed tomb was discovered in Ancient Nicaea (present-day Iznik, Turkey), which contains the only tomb in early Christian Anatolia depicting Christ as the Good Shepherd. While no artifacts were found inside to narrow down its age, its architectural style is comparable to other tombs, suggesting it dates back to the 3rd century AD

The tomb was discovered in the Isadere Necropolis, a cemetery outside the ancient city’s fortifications that was in use from the 2nd to 5th century AD. It is one of the largest cemeteries in the region and was used by people of all classes, as evidenced by the variety of burial types, from tombs to sarcophagi and terracotta-roofed chamber tombs unique to Iznik.

This frescoed tomb is a catacomb, an underground chamber dug out of the soil. The south wall of the tomb has been destroyed, but the east, west and north walls are intact, as is the barrel vault. They are covered with brightly colored flowers, birds, swirling patterns, thick red borders and murals of figures. This is the first example of Christian figurative art found in the Hisaldere necropolis.

A central fresco decorates the north wall behind the Crane, and the tomb bed consists of square terracotta tiles where the deceased rested. The vaulted ceiling forms an arched semicircular panel in small lines, decorated with a statue of a young, beardless Jesus carrying a ram on his shoulders. Pairs of goats stood among the greenery on either side of him.

This iconography of Jesus as shepherd of sheep was widespread in Roman funerary art of the early Christian period and would develop into one of the most important themes in Christian iconography, but it is the earliest known example from the early Christian period outside of Italy.

The western wall of the tomb depicts a married couple believed to be the owners of the tomb, depicted as aristocratic through their clothing and decorations.

Although the tomb is located in a Christian-era tomb, the seminar scene shown here reflects the continuation of pagan funerary traditions that symbolized the afterlife as an eternal feast.