Archaeologists recently discovered the oldest known Chinese inscription at the holy site of Mount Zion, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).
The inscription, found on a porcelain bowl, was discovered during a joint excavation between the IAA and the Protestant Institute of Archaeology.
The artifact demonstrates “the relationship between the Land of Israel and China,” according to a press release issued by the agency this month.
According to the IAA, the porcelain bowl dates back to the 16th century.
Its inscription reads: “Forever we will keep the eternal spring” and was spotted protruding from the earth by an excavator.
“Last summer, during routine procedures for the upcoming excavation season, Michael Chernin, an archaeologist at the Israel Antiquities Authority, suddenly spotted a colorful object protruding from the earth that had been cleared during preparation of the site”, indicates the message from the IAA. .
“When Michael took the item out and washed it, he recognized that there was an inscription on the bottom.”
The IAA reported that many of the finds from the excavation date from the Second Temple period to the Byzantine era, but that the newly discovered porcelain bowl had an “unexpected origin.”
The bowl, probably produced during the Ming dynasty between 1520 and 1570, is emblematic of commercial relations between Imperial China and the Ottoman Empire. It is the first bowl found in Israel to contain a Chinese inscription, although other ancient Chinese pottery has been discovered.
“According to the annals of the Ming dynasty, around 20 official Ottoman delegations visited the imperial court in Beijing between the 15th and 17th centuries,” we can read on Facebook.
“The commercial relations between these empires are also described in the travel diaries of merchants of this period. »
“Thus, the writings of the Chinese scholar Ma Li dating from 1541 report colonies of Chinese merchants in Lebanese coastal cities such as Beirut and Tripoli. The work even mentions other important cities in the region such as Jerusalem, Cairo and Aleppo. »
According to some Christian traditions, the Last Supper took place in the Upper Room, or Upper Room, of Mount Zion. In the New Testament, the mountain is also described as the symbol of God’s promises.
The site also holds religious significance for Jews since the Ark of the Covenant was kept on Mount Zion during the reign of King David.
“In archaeological research, evidence of trade relations between merchants from the Land of Israel and the Far East is known from earlier periods – for example, for various spices,” said IAA director , Eli Escusido, in a press release. “But it is fascinating to encounter evidence of these relationships also in the form of a real inscription, written in the Chinese language, and in an unexpected place – on Mount Zion in Jerusalem! »
