(PHOTOS) Archeologists discover an early image of Christ in Egypt

[Michie]

Archaeologists have found what they think may be an early image of Christ in a subterranean room in Egypt. The image dates to the sixth or seventh ...

(PHOTOS) Archeologists discover an early image of Christ in Egypt - Africa - International - News - Catholic Online

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

interesting!

 

[buzuxi02]

Pretty cool. If that is a an image of Christ (I have some doubts), I guestimate an early date of before 550 AD.

The beautifully preserved mosaics in Ravena, depict images of a beardless Christ which date from 475 to 547 Ad. That seem similar to the Egyptian image:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1dJCYb6n3...PQvrgg/s1600/ravenna+good+shepherd+mosaic.jpg

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01116/ravenna-2_1116751c.jpg

http://www.visitsitaly.com/images/eromagna-im/ravenna-im/ravenna-duomo-mosaic_ceiling.jpg


I still have some doubts though whether the Egyptian image is that of Christ as the familiar icon of a bearded Christ was still normative (as found in the Transfiguration mosaic on Sinai 550AD) and probably became the standard by 600AD. The following image is probably the earliest byzantine style Icon dating to 417AD in Rome :

Basilica di Santa Pudenziana


But I must say it definitely resembles this icon from the "Archbishop's Chapel" in Ravena dating to 500 AD:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/RavArchBpChapelXt.jpg

 

[ArmyMatt]

very interesting! thanks for the post!