Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Mehmet Guzel and Andrew Wilks

Archaeologists discover rare painting of a clean-shaven Jesus

Archaeologist cleans and restores frescoes inside a 3rd-century tomb where a rare early Christian depiction of Jesus as the "Good Shepherd" was discovered - (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Archaeologists in Turkey have unearthed a significant early Christian artefact: a fresco depicting Jesus as the "Good Shepherd," styled with Roman features.

This remarkable painting was discovered in August within an underground tomb situated near Iznik, a town in northwestern Turkey historically pivotal as the site where the Nicene Creed was established in A.D. 325. The region, then part of the Roman Empire, saw the tomb in Hisardere village dated to the 3rd century.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.