Sealed Under Turkish Mud, a Well-Preserved Byzantine Chapel

[LizaSymonenko]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/08/science/under-turkish-mud-well-preserved-byzantine-chapel.html?_r=5&

DEMRE, Turkey — In the fourth century A.D., a bishop named Nicholas transformed the city of Myra, on the Mediterranean coast of what is now Turkey, into a Christian capital.

After some 800 years as an important pilgrimage site in the Byzantine Empire it vanished — buried under 18 feet of mud from the rampaging Myros River. All that remained was the Church of St. Nicholas, parts of a Roman amphitheater and tombs cut into the rocky hills.

But now, 700 years later, Myra is reappearing.

[Αριστοκλής]

And, of course, the NYT hasn't a clue as to whom St Nicholas of Myra is.

I hope we see more of this discovery, in its proper aspect.

[Nephi]

Fascinating! And icons, too:


http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2013/01/08/science/08MYRA3.html

[genesisone]

Is there any mention in the original article about when the church was likely built?

[Gunnarr]

WOW!

Very nice find!

Let us hope there are more discoveries to come! (perhaps under homes though...     )

[rakovsky]

That's cool. I am glad to see they apparently care about preserving the church ruins. I heard a story by a stranger, who I don't put alot of faith in, claiming he had been on an archeological dig in Saudi Arabia and they found a church and later the government bulldozed it. But still it seems like something their government might do, as the Saudi government doesn't allow churches, with a few "informal" exceptions.

[88Devin12]

That's cool. I am glad to see they apparently care about preserving the church ruins. I heard a story by a stranger, who I don't put alot of faith in, claiming he had been on an archeological dig in Saudi Arabia and they found a church and later the government bulldozed it. But still it seems like something their government might do, as the Saudi government doesn't allow churches, with a few "informal" exceptions.

Tourism is part of Turkeys economy, no tourist has any reason to be in the Asian side other than these sites so its in their economic interest to preserve them.

[Tikhon.of.Colorado]

That's cool. I am glad to see they apparently care about preserving the church ruins. I heard a story by a stranger, who I don't put alot of faith in, claiming he had been on an archeological dig in Saudi Arabia and they found a church and later the government bulldozed it. But still it seems like something their government might do, as the Saudi government doesn't allow churches, with a few "informal" exceptions.

I doubt that it would get bulldozed.  They are of extreme historical significance to the Turkish people, and the history of the land which is now Turkey.  The few Turks I've talked to tell me that Turkey is a largely secular country, with few religious Muslims.  I don't know if the discovery of an "infidel" house of prayer is that big of a threat to Turkey.

[Alpo]

The few Turks I've talked to tell me that Turkey is a largely secular country, with few religious Muslims.

By "secular" and "religious" they don't necessarily mean the same as we do.

[Michał Kalina]

By "secular" and "religious" they don't necessarily mean the same as we do.

My thoughts when I am reading that Christianity is no longer a dominant factor in the USA.

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