A tombstone dating back to the Byzantine era was recently found in Israel, it was made public on Wednesday.
The Byzantine tombstone is circular and has an inscription in the Greek language.
The message reads ”blessed Maria, who lived an immaculate life.”
The fascinating discovery was made by Israeli Nitzana Educational Village director David Palmach in the Nitzana National Park in the Negev desert, in southern Israel.
Palmach found the ancient artifact while he was cleaning a path in the desert park.
The tombstone is believed to be from the 6th or early 7th century.
“During the fifth and sixth centuries CE, Nitzana served as a center for the villages and settlements in the vicinity,” the Israel Antiquities Authority noted in a statement.
Greek was widely spoken across the Mediterranean during those times, as it served as the lingua franca for the entire Eastern Roman Empire.
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