A team of archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority created quite a stir with their announcement that a body found buried in Jerusalem wrapped in chains had been a female, from the fifth century AD. This person was a religious ascetic who had apparently practiced a form of self-mortification in life as well as in death, but up to this time all the evidence had suggested that only male monks had been involved in this type of activity.
Now, the same researchers responsible for this discovery have identified the woman in question as a Byzantine-era nun, ending the mystery of who she actually was and why her skeletal remains had been found in such an unusual state.
This is a revolutionary discovery, as it is the first archaeological evidence of extreme asceticism practiced by nuns that has been discovered in Jerusalem. This discovery proves that extreme ascetic practices were not exclusive to religiously observant men, but were also embraced by women, at least on some occasions.
Dr. Amit Re’em, Jerusalem District Archaeologist for the Israel Antiquities Authority, pointed out the intriguing nature of ascetic nuns, particularly in light of International Women’s Day. These women lived in a patriarchal society where religious life was predominantly male. To participate in these ascetic practices, they often disguised themselves as men, as seen in the stories of Saint Pelagia and Saint Marina, who both lived as men to pursue spiritual purity and asceticism.
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A Shocking Discovery
The research, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, was led by Dr. Paula Kotli, David Morgenstern, and Prof. Elisabetta Boaretto from the Weizmann Institute of Science, in collaboration with Dr. Yossi Nagar, Zubair ʼAdawi, and Kfir Arbiv from the Israel Antiquities Authority. Due to the skeleton’s poor state of preservation, the Weizmann Institute team employed advanced proteomic and peptidomic analysis, which identified the biological sex of the skeleton through proteins found in the enamel of the teeth. By analyzing the variations of Amelogenin proteins, which are encoded by the X/Y sex chromosomes, the researchers confirmed that the individual was a woman.
According to the Israel Antiquities Authority’s researchers, Zubair ʼAdawi, Kfir Arbiv, and Dr. Yossi Nagar, the nun was found in a solitary grave beneath the church altar, indicating her honored status. Her body was bound with 12-14 rings around her arms or hands, four rings around her neck, and at least ten rings around her legs. Iron plates or discs were also found on her stomach, affixed to the rings, creating an armored appearance for the skeleton.
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Excavation directors Zubair ʼAdawi and Kfir Arbiv inspect the rare discovery. (Yoli Schwartz/Israel Antiquities Authority)
The nun’s remains were discovered in a site located about three kilometers (1.86 mi) northwest of Jerusalem’s Old City, identified as a Byzantine monastery active from the 5th to 7th centuries AD. The excavation uncovered not only the monastery and church buildings but also burial crypts beneath the church altar, where the remains of men, women, and children were found. Iron rings were found around the neck, arms, and legs of the bound skeleton, along with metal objects, including a small cross.
Interestingly, the heavy iron rings were not a form of torture or punishment but were voluntarily self-imposed as part of ascetic practices. Historical records indicate that such extreme self-discipline, including self-flagellation, was believed to elevate the soul by depriving the body of pleasure.
Archaeologist Kfir Arbiv of the Israel Antiquities Authority reveals a mosaic floor in the ruins of a church about three kilometers northwest of Jerusalem. (Yoli Schwartz/Israel Antiquities Authority)
Zubair ʼAdawi and Kfir Arbiv, excavation directors for the Israel Antiquities Authority, noted that the nun’s extreme asceticism reflects a broader trend among Byzantine monks. These practices included prolonged fasting, wearing chains, tying the body to rocks, and self-imprisonment in isolated spaces like abandoned towers or caves. Some monks even subjected themselves to dangerous acts, such as standing in fires or exposing themselves to animals of prey.
ʼAdawi and Arbiv explained that the practice of extreme asceticism, particularly using chains, likely originated in northern Syria and Anatolia, spreading through Asia Minor and Europe, and eventually reaching Jerusalem and Egypt.
This discovery also highlights the involvement of women in ascetic practices. In his 5th-century work Historia Religiosa, Theodoret of Cyrrhus mentions two women, Marana and Cyra, who bound themselves with chains for 42 years.
Zubair ʼAdawi, Excavation Director uncovered the find. (Yoli Schwartz/Israel Antiquities Authority)
Reexamining Assumptions
The excavation also raises important questions about the role of women in the Byzantine monastic world. Historical figures such as Egeriae, Melania the Elder, and Melania the Younger are known to have traveled to Jerusalem, some settling in the area and establishing monasteries. The “Nun of the Rings” may have been a woman from Syria who learned of this ascetic practice and joined a community of monks and nuns in Jerusalem, or she could have been a local who adopted the custom.
As of now, this is a totally unique find, with no other evidence of nuns in Byzantine-era Jerusalem taking up the challenge of asceticism. This may change in the future, however, as archaeologists know that such a possibility exists and will be on the lookout for more examples of women following the same religious path in ancient times.
Top image: A rare skeleton encased in iron rings was discovered in the ruins of a church about three kilometers northwest of Jerusalem. Source: Yoli Schwartz/Israel Antiquities Authority
By Nathan Falde
