Archaeologists discover 1,300-year-old communion bread in ancient Turkish city

Archaeologists excavating the ancient mound of Topraktepe in southern Turkey, believed to be the early Byzantine city of Irenopolis (Eirenopolis), have unearthed five carbonised bread loaves dating back to the seventh or eighth century CE.

According to Jerusalem Post on Monday, one of the loaves bore an image of Christ as a sower scattering grain, inscribed with the Greek phrase “With our gratitude to Blessed Jesus.”

The remaining four featured Maltese-cross impressions, a motif traditionally stamped on Eucharistic bread.

Researchers believe the loaves served as communion bread for a rural Christian congregation that relied heavily on farming.

“These 1,300-year-old breads shed new light on a fascinating chapter of early Byzantine life. They prove that piety extended beyond prayers and ceremonies, materializing in objects that carried spiritual significance to the most basic human need: bread,” said a member of the excavation team.

The loaves were preserved by an abrupt fire that carbonised them, sealing their form and decoration. Provincial authorities described the discovery as “one of the best-preserved examples identified in Anatolia to date,” according to local outlet Posta.

ADVERTISEMENT

Topraktepe’s previous finds included necropolises, rock-cut chambers, and fortifications, but officials noted that the loaves offered a rare glimpse into the spiritual life of ordinary people.

“This is evaluated as indicating the symbolic importance of abundance and labor in the religious understanding of the period,” the statement added.

Scholars added that the depiction of Christ as a farm worker mirrored the community’s agrarian life. Though Irenopolis sat on ancient trade routes, it remained deeply tied to sowing, harvesting, and herding, practices central to both survival and faith.

Spanish outlet La Vanguardia noted that the imagery aligns with John 6:35: “I am the bread of life.” Meanwhile, LadBible described the loaves as providing “fresh archaeological context” to one of Christianity’s most enduring metaphors.

Archaeologists plan chemical and botanical analyses to identify the grains and leavening agents used and to determine whether the loaves were leavened prosphora or another type of liturgical bread, such as antidoron. They also intend to search for a nearby chapel or storeroom where the bread might have been kept.

“The survival of Eucharistic bread from the seventh and eighth centuries is extremely rare, making the loaves from Topraktepe a unique window into early Christian worship,” the research team concluded.