Categories: ArcheologyInteresting

The Tomb of Abgar V, the First Christian King

During archaeological excavations in the city named Edessa (Urfa) in March 2016, about 80 early Christian tombs were discovered, including the family burial vault of the Armenian king Abgar V.

The tomb, in which 10 members of the royal family were buried, is decorated with a mosaic and a depiction of a cross. Also, a plate with an Assyrian inscription “Great King Abgar V the Black, the first Christian ruler of Edessa” was discovered.

King Abgar V ruled the kingdom of Osroene twice in the Armenian part of Northern Mesopotamia, the capital of which in 4 BC – 7 AD and 13 – 50 was Edessa.

King Abgar is considered the first Christian king. In the Edessan archives in the 4th century, Eusebius of Caesarea found a document testifying to the correspondence of the king with Jesus. In it, Abgar called Jesus “the Son of God” and asks him for healing.

Vigen Avetisyan

Recent Posts

Who Is Buried in the Women’s Tomb of the Royal Family of Commagene

Karakuş ("Black Bird") — a hierothesion of the Orontid dynasty in the Nymphaios valley Introduction…

4 hours ago

St. Sargis Church in Bjni (7th Century): History, Route and Practical Travel Guide

A tiny cross-domed church on a rocky outcrop above one of Armenia’s oldest villages —…

1 day ago

Svo Raf: The Thief-in-Law Whom Armenia Remembers as a Protector

Rafael Baghdasaryan (1930–1993) lived the life of a professional criminal and died a hero of…

2 days ago

If the Lawsuits Are Withdrawn: Legal Avenues for Artsakh’s Displaced and the Question of Armenia’s Occupied Territories

Status as of 6 November 2026. This is an analytical piece, not legal advice. The…

3 days ago

Ararat-1: How Stone Tools Revealed the Routes of Ancient People on the Armenian Highland 50,000 Years Ago

Palaeolithic of the Armenian Highland · based on Quaternary Science Reviews, the Russian TV channel…

3 days ago