Posted: 01/17/2013 at 9:18am | IP Logged

This hugely important town in Lycia was the home of St. Nicholas. Archaeologists are stunned by the "uncanny state of preservation" the chapel they've unearthed is in.

(Demre, Turkey)—In the fourth century A.D., the city of Myra, located in Lycia on the southern coast of Turkey, was somewhat of a Christian "capital" for the Byzantines and served as an important pilgrimage destination.

According to Biblical Archaeology, the 4th-century bishop of Myra, later canonized as St. Nicholas (and commonly remembered as Santa Claus), shaped the development of the Christian city before his traditional burial at Myra. For over 1500 years, the church of St. Nicholas—which survived a devastating flood that buried the town in mud—has stood out as an icon of the Christian saint's influence.

Now, news sources around the world are reporting that 800 years after Myra "vanished" beneath 18 feet of mud, a chapel that was part of the ancient city has been found.

The New York Times reported the find in glowing terms, saying archaeologists have "excavated a small, stunning 13th-century chapel sealed in an uncanny state of preservation."

"This mean we can find the original city, like Pompeii," said lead archaeologist Nevzat Cevik.

On a side note, Andriake, Myra's harbor, is where the Apostle Paul changed ships on his way to Antioch. Reports note recent digs there as well, including the discovery of a workshop that produced royal purple and blue dyes.

Source: Noah Wiener – Biblical Archaeology

Via: BCN Breaking Christian News