Early Medieval Art

On May 18th, the website of the magazine, Archaeology, posted an online feature on the Catacomb of Saints Peter and Marcellinus.  The partial collapse of the foundation of the Instituto Sacra Famiglia revealed five unexplored chambers of the Catacomb.  The article focused on a mass grave, but three photos of wall painting accompany the article.  The first, according to its caption, dates to the seventh century, and the second supposedly shows Peter and Marcellinus.  The third shows Orpheus, in a relatively familiar scene.  The article does not mention any of these images, and I cannot assert with any certainty that they come from the newly discovered chambers.  I am intrigued by the fresco labeled seventh-century and devotional.  I will look into it, but thought I would share what I have found so far!

The Jordan Times has an article about a recently-discovered cave church in Rihab. A mosaic inscription in the church of Saint Georgeous, built above the cave church ca. 230 CE, refers to “the 70 beloved by God and Divine” (see the previous link for a rather complete set of photos of the site). The archaeologists of the site claim to have discerned a living area immediately adjacent to the area for worship, as well as a water source, in order to create the picture of a secret location for persecuted early Christians to hide.

Verum Serum identifies the passage in Eusebius describing the exile of members of the Jerusalem church to nearby Pella on which the interpretation of the archaeologists depends. Wikipedia has a useful entry on the Seventy Disciples, with some helpful reminders.

*Update* See also this article in the Catholic Courier.