World’s First Archaeological Evidence of Nuns’ Asceticism Discovered in Jerusalem

Photo Credit: Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority

The exposed nun is wrapped with chains.

The first archaeological evidence of extreme asceticism practiced by nuns was discovered in Jerusalem. A female skeleton, found wrapped in chains during an excavation by the Israel Antiquities Authority, has been identified as a nun. This discovery strengthens the understanding that extreme ascetic practices were not exclusive to men, but were also embraced by women.

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.

Zubair Adawi, Excavation Director on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, uncovers the find. / Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority

The research (Sexing remains of a Byzantine ascetic burial using enamel proteomics) 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.

Kfir Arbiv of the Israel Antiquities Authority uncovers a mosaic floor at the site. / Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority

The nun’s remains were discovered in a site located about three kilometers northwest of Jerusalem’s Old City, identified as a Byzantine monastery active from the 5th to 7th centuries CE. 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.

The exposed nun is wrapped with chains. / 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.

Excavation Directors Zubair Adawi and Kfir Arbiv examine the rare find. / Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority

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.

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.