1,200-year-old Communion bread with Jesus figure design unearthed in Turkey
Sifting through the ruins of a structure in central Turkey, archaeologists noticed some round charcoal-colored objects with intricate designs. The delicate finds turned out to be 1,200-year-old Communion bread and offered a unique glimpse into ancient religious practices.
Archaeologists were excavating a section of Topraktepe, an ancient city also known as Irenopolis or Eirenopolis, in modern-day Karaman province when they unearthed five loaves of bread, the Karaman Governorate said in an Oct. 8 Facebook post.
Detailed analysis identified the loaves as carbonized, or burnt, Communion bread dating to the seventh or eighth century, officials said.
Two photos show the 1,200-year-old bread with the most complicated design. A Jesus figure stands in the center near several wheat-like plants and text runs along the outer edge of the loaf, archaeologists said.
Experts later identified the text as an ancient Greek inscription which roughly translates to “With Gratitude to the Blessed Christ” and its central figure as a depiction of Jesus as a “Sower” or “Farmer,” officials said.
Another photo shows one of the other ancient loaves which had several small Maltese crosses baked into it.
Based on their iconography, the 1,200-year-old bread was likely part of an ancient Christian ritual that emphasized labor, agriculture and fertility, officials said.
Archaeologists did not provide many details about the surrounding structure(s) where the bread was found, how they were preserved or the broader history of Topraktepe.
Generally, ancient food finds are rare for archaeologists because these organic materials disintegrate over time unless preserved in very specific circumstances or environments. Turkish officials described the 1,200-year-old bread as being in extraordinary condition and one of the best preserved examples of its kind from the region.
Excavations at Topraktepe are ongoing. The site is in Karaman province of central Turkey and a roughly 560-mile drive southeast from Istanbul.
Google Translate was used to translate the Facebook post from the Karaman Governorate.
This story was originally published October 10, 2025 at 3:57 PM with the headline "1,200-year-old Communion bread with Jesus figure design unearthed in Turkey."
