Megiddo Church

The foundations of one of the earliest churches ever found by archaeologists, Megiddo Church, which is located close to Tel Megiddo in Israel, dated to the 3rd century AD. The remains were discovered close to Megiddo Prison, which is situated in northern Israel just a few hundred meters south of the tell and close to Megiddo Junction. The region belongs to Legio, an ancient Roman settlement that was formerly known by its Hebrew name, Kefar 'Otnay. Megiddo Church is one of the oldest churches in the world.

The remnants of this late third-century church were initially unearthed in 2005 by prisoners of the jail that presently stands where the church once stood. The site was further explored by a Tel Aviv University-affiliated Israeli archaeologist. A number of items were found, including a sizable mosaic with a depiction of a fish (an early Christian emblem) and various Greek inscriptions. One of these inscriptions refers to a woman by the name of Aketous giving the church a table, probably for use as an altar.

Location: near Tel Megiddo, Israel