Excavations near the village of Debelt in southeastern Bulgaria produced an astonishing artifact that changes the understanding of the history of Christianity in the country. At the site of an ancient Roman Empire colony known as Deultum, archaeologists unearthed a rolled-up silver sheet amulet dating to the late second or early third century AD.
Clearly Christian in nature, the amulet references Jesus Christ and the archangels Gabriel and Michael, and also includes the sign of the cross incorporated into Christ’s name. According to its discoverers, this is the oldest Christian relic ever found in Bulgaria, and as such it firmly grounds Christian practice in the era when Deultum was a thriving port city and Roman Empire colony occupied by retired veterans of the Roman legions.
Ruins of ancient city Deultum. (Pudelek (Marcin Szala)/CC BY-SA 3.0)
Hidden Christian Practice and Belief in the Roman World
The remarkable and historically significant silver sheet amulet was unearthed in the summer of 2023 during excavations in the Deultum-Debelt National Archaeological Reserve, which is located adjacent to Debelt near Bulgaria’s Black Sea coastline.
Archaeologists were digging up a Roman era necropolis when they found the silver sheet rolled up and placed in a tomb alongside the body of a young man, who they eventually determined had been buried sometime around the year 200 AD. It was the only Christian relic found during these excavations, which in itself is a most interesting fact.
Dora Todorova, a curator with the Deultum-Debelt National Archaeological Reserve Museum, explained in an interview with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA):
“Early Christians were careful not to be recognized and used various symbols to refer to Christ. In this case, the amulet is placed in a grave, near the head of the person buried in it, away from people’s eyes.”
She noted that the name of Christ was written in Greek at the top of the amulet, and that the shape of the cross had been cleverly incorporated into it. This is a rather familiar feature, Todorova said, and has been found in other early Christian inscriptions that included Christ’s name.
Seeking the Protection of Christ
When they first dug up the amulet, the archaeologists thought it was a silver ingot. But they soon realized it was a tightly rolled and extremely thin sheet of silver, which was well-preserved and could still be unrolled despite the passage of nearly 2,000 years. After it was made it most likely would have been kept inside a leather or fabric holder, the archaeologists say, and either worn around the neck as an amulet or kept hidden inside a person’s clothing.
The deciphering and translation of the amulet’s inscription was carried out by renowned epigrapher Dr. Nikolay Sharankov, in collaboration with experts from the Deultum-Debelt National Archaeological Reserve and its museum. The inscription was found to include lines dedicated to Christ (the first line), Gabriel, and Michael, and there is an additional line that features the ancient Greek word for ‘Guardian.’ It is believed the latter word refers to Christ, and the addition of this fourth line is believed to identify the object as a protective amulet meant to keep the wearer safe from harm.
Byzantine Mosaic of the Virgin and Christ Child flanked by Archangels Michael and Gabriel. (Byzantine Institute staff/Public Domain)
In Greek, the name of Christ was written as ‘+ΡЄICTOC,’ with the first letter of Christ’s name, X, rotated at a 45-degree angle to form the sign of the cross. This symbolic feature has been found in other early Christian relics, indicating this amulet was inscribed according to established practices.
Backing up the statement of Dora Todorova, Sharankov also emphasized the Roman-era Christian concern with keeping a person’s worshipping preferences private.
“Inscriptions visible to the public rarely overtly disclosed early Christians’ religious allegiance,” the epigrapher told the Sofia [Bulgaria] News Agency.
“They often utilized innocuous symbols such as birds or fish, or veiled expressions like ‘God’ that didn’t draw suspicion. Explicit references to Jesus Christ were rare … in contrast, the amulet from Deultum, concealed from prying eyes, allowed for the direct mention of Christ without ambiguity or secrecy.”
Roman town of Deultum, village of Debelt, Sredets Municipality, Burgas Province, Bulgaria. (Камен Ханджиев/CC BY-SA 4.0)
Deultum: Roman Colony and Early Christian Outpost
Originally founded as a Greek colony in the seventh century BC, Deultum functioned as an important trading center that connected the Greek and Thracian worlds. The Roman Empire annexed the small settlement in 70 AD, after which it was repurposed by the emperor Vespasian as a colony for retired veterans of the famed Legio VIII Augusta. Deultum was only the second Roman colony formed on the Balkan Peninsula, and the sole colony to be established on the territory of modern-day Bulgaria.
In ancient times Deultum was a thriving port town on the Sredetska River, benefiting from the fact that it offered direct access to the Black Sea. Its location was ideally suited for commercial activity, and in addition to being a vigorous trading hub, was also known for the highly productive copper mines that could be found nearby. Interestingly, Deultum reached its peak of prosperity and population in the late second and early third centuries BC, which coincides with the burial of the young man who was entombed with the inscribed Christian amulet.
While early Christians might have felt a need to remain low-key about their religious practices in general, Deultum was in fact a center of open Christian worship during the Roman era. The diocese of Develtos was founded in the region in the second century, and the city of Deultum was the first Bulgarian town known to have had a Christian bishop.
It is therefore likely that the recently discovered amulet was only one of many Christian relics in circulation in the Deultum region 1,700 years ago, which gives archaeologists reason to hope that future excavations will produce similar finds.
Top image: The silver amulet found at Deultum, Debelt, Bulgaris, the oldest Christian relic of Bulgaria. Source: Deultum-Debelt National Archaeological Review
By Nathan Falde
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