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Archaeologists have uncovered the first physical evidence of extreme ascetic practices among nuns, following an analysis of a tooth from a skeleton found during an excavation in Jerusalem . The remains, discovered bound in rings, were identified as belonging to a Byzantine-era nun, reinforcing historical accounts that such austere practices were observed by both men and women. The research was conducted by Dr.
Paula Kutoli, David Morgenstern, and Prof. Elisabetta Boaretto of the Weizmann Institute of Science, in collaboration with Dr. Yossi Nagar, Zubair Adawi, and Kfir Arbiv from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).
3 View gallery ( Photo: IAA ) Due to the skeleton’s poor state of preservation, researchers used advanced protein analysis on the tooth’s enamel. This method, which examines unique proteins encoded by X and Y chromosomes, confirmed with high probability that the remains belonged to a woman. A rare glimpse into Byzantine ascetic practices According to IAA researchers , the nun was buried alone beneath the church altar, a position of honor.
She was found bound with 12 to 14 iron rings around her arms or hands, four around her neck, and at least 10 around her legs. Additional iron plates were attached to her torso, giving her the appearance of wearing armor. The site, located about three kilometers northwest of Jerusalem’s Old City, has been identified as a Byzantine monastery active between the fifth and seventh centuries.
Alongside the church and monastery structures, archaeologists unearthed burial crypts beneath the altar containing the remains of men, women, and children. In the nun’s grave, iron rings encircled her neck, arms, and legs, accompanied by metal objects, including a small cross. 3 View gallery ( Photo: IAA ) IAA researchers emphasized that carrying heavy iron rings was not a form of punishment but a voluntary act of extreme devotion.
Historical sources suggest that monks and nuns engaged in such ascetic practices, believing that denying earthly pleasures and inflicting physical hardship would elevate the soul to greater spiritual heights. Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play : https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store : https://bit.
ly/3ZL7iNv Some subjected themselves to prolonged fasting, wore iron chains, confined themselves in small, isolated spaces, or even threw themselves into fire or among wild animals. The researchers noted that such practices originated in northern Syria and Anatolia before spreading westward to Europe and southward to Jerusalem and Egypt. New insights into the role of women in Byzantine monasticism The discovery raises new questions about the role of women in Byzantine religious life.
Historical accounts describe women who traveled to Jerusalem, settled there, and even founded monasteries. The newly discovered “Ringed Nun” may have arrived from Syria after encountering the practice or was a local ascetic who adopted the method. This finding echoes a past discovery of a male ascetic, the “Chained Monk,” uncovered decades ago in excavations near the Mar Elias Monastery between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
3 View gallery ( Photo: IAA ) Dr. Amit Re’em, an IAA archaeologist, noted that some female ascetics disguised themselves as men to join monastic life in a patriarchal society. One such case was Saint Pelagia, a fifth-century actress from Antioch who, after converting to Christianity, lived as a hermit in Jerusalem under the name “Pelagius.
” Only after her death was her true identity discovered. Another example is Saint Marina, a woman from Lebanon who entered a monastery disguised as a man and endured false accusations and social humiliation without revealing her identity. Only after her death did fellow monks realize she was a woman.
“These stories, along with the latest discovery, underscore that sanctity transcends gender,” Re’em said. Eli Eskosido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, called the discovery “a fascinating find that will require further research to better understand the role of women in religious and monastic life during this period.” >.
