Archaeological investigations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) suggest that this venerable Byzantine ecclesiastical structure was consecrated to the Christian martyr Bacchus the Holy.
The architectural vestiges of the 1,400-year-old Byzantine church at Khirbet Tinshemet, Israel. Photograph credit: Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority.
The remnants of this ancient Byzantine place of worship were brought to light at the archaeological locale of Khirbet Tinshemet, situated within the Shoham Community Forest in Israel’s central region.
“This remarkable Byzantine church, alongside supplementary discoveries, has been dated to the 6th century CE,” stated IAA archaeologists in an official announcement. “Our hypothesis is to identify this site with ‘Beto-Melgasis,’ a church referenced in the mosaic map of Madaba.”
The research team also unearthed an unusual marble roundel featuring a depiction of Tyche (also known as Fortuna), the Greco-Roman goddess of chance and prosperity, who was revered as the patron deity of numerous urban centers.
The mosaic floor of the Byzantine church at Khirbet Tinshemet, Israel. Image attribution: Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority.
“This medallion, believed to have been crafted around 582 or 583 CE, presents a compelling enigma due to its singular nature within the corpus of Byzantine artistic works; no comparable artifacts have been documented,” the excavators commented.
“The presence of Tyche, a deity originating from pagan traditions, at the threshold of a Christian sanctuary is notably surprising.”
“This medallion serves as a tangible representation of the interwoven relationship between established pagan customs and the nascent Christian faith, offering invaluable insight into the cultural milieu of that era within the Land of Israel.”
“The edifice was indeed consecrated to the Christian martyr Bacchus the Holy,” they further elaborated.
“An inscription discovered centrally within the nave articulates a core tenet of Christianity, proclaiming: ‘This place is dedicated to the Lord and His Sole Son’.”
The ancient marble medallion unearthed at Khirbet Tinshemet, Israel. Photography by Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority.
The scientific team additionally recovered a collection of numismatic artifacts dating from the Byzantine period.
“The coins span an extensive temporal spectrum, from the 4th to the 8th century CE,” stated Dr. Hagit Torge, an archaeologist with the IAA.
“This broad chronological range signifies the sustained presence of habitation and ongoing economic pursuits at the site throughout an extended duration, commencing in the Byzantine era and extending into the early Islamic period.”
