In the ruins of a long-forgotten port city along the Turkish coast, archaeologists have uncovered a stark message inscribed more than 1,600 years ago.

According to Fox News, a team working in the ancient city of Olympus has discovered a fifth-century Christian church featuring a prominently placed inscription warning that only the virtuous may enter—a message unseen since the church was last active nearly 1,000 years ago.

The excavation took place in Olympus, a once-thriving Lycian port located in Turkey’s Antalya province. Excavation efforts at the site have been ongoing since 2006. This particular finding was part of the most recent phase of work conducted by researchers examining the rich layers of architecture and material culture in the city.

Church mosaic and inscription uncovered

Central to the recent discovery was a structure identified as Church No. 1. Believed to date back to the fifth century, it was among several buildings unearthed in the area. Archaeologists uncovered the church floor mosaics and later restored them, revealing intricate patterns and artwork that reflect the aesthetic traditions of the time.

Among the artistic elements were vegetable motifs, a common design in church mosaics of the era. In addition to the decorative elements, names of affluent individuals were found embedded in the mosaics. These likely refer to donors, indicating the presence of a wealthy class that played a role in the city’s Christian architectural heritage.

However, the most unusual feature of Church No. 1 was not visual but textual. A stone inscription at the church’s entrance read, translated from ancient Greek, “Only those on the righteous path may enter here.” The phrase is believed to have been seen last when the church was still operational before the city’s abandonment around the 12th century.

Excavation yields broader historical insight

This latest discovery adds to a growing body of evidence about the spiritual and social structure of ancient Olympus. Other findings during this excavation season included large storage jars known as pithoi and a structure similar to a temple. While the age and purpose of the temple-like structure remain uncertain, it highlights the complexity of the site’s historical layers.

Lead excavator Gokcen Kurtulus Oztaskin commented on the discovery, saying that the site has repeatedly revealed significant floor mosaics over recent years. “In 2017, 2022, and 2023, we discovered richly decorated mosaic floors at the sites we worked on,” Oztaskin explained. “This year, we uncovered and restored the floor mosaics of Church No. 1.”

“Olympus continues to surprise us with its mosaics,” Oztaskin added, reflecting on the significance of uncovering long-hidden early Christian art and inscriptions so well preserved through centuries of abandonment and natural decay.

Site reflects centuries of cultural transmission

The ancient city of Olympus, though today a quiet archaeological zone, once bore witness to Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine occupation. Previously discovered ruins include a bishop’s palace, sarcophagi, monumental tombs, and other churches. These discoveries help scholars trace religious, political, and social developments in the region across many centuries.

In addition to the church structures, archaeologists have also uncovered bridges, monumental entrances, and administrative buildings, pointing to the city’s role as both a spiritual and commercial hub in ancient Lycia. The Antimakhos sarcophagus and the Marcus Aurelius Archepolis Monumental Tomb are examples of elite burial practices that coexisted with rising Christian institutions such as Church No. 1.

Over time, changing political forces and natural challenges led to Olympus's decline. By the 12th century, the city had been largely abandoned, leaving religious structures like Church No. 1 buried and forgotten for nearly a millennium until their rediscovery.

Broader context of Christian archaeological finds

This discovery comes amid a wave of new archaeological findings that are helping to shape modern understanding of early Christianity. Earlier this year, researchers uncovered remains of a Christian settlement called Tharais in Jordan, offering insight into how early believers lived in relatively remote desert regions.

In 2024, another significant milestone occurred when experts located the oldest known evidence of Christianity north of the Alps—a silver artifact etched with Christian symbols and writing, pushing the timeline of the religion’s spread into northern Europe further back than previously believed.

These discoveries, when viewed alongside the Olympus church, contribute to a broader understanding of Christianity’s role during shifting historical eras and in geographically diverse locations. The communal, artistic, and moral values of ancient believers are increasingly visible through these well-preserved legacies.

Message of morality preserved in stone

Though dismissed by time and buried under centuries of soil, the exhortation carved into the threshold of Church No. 1 continues to resonate. The call for the “righteous path” reflects not only religious doctrine but also the social ambitions of early Christian communities that sought to define belonging and ethical conduct within their sacred spaces.

As scholars further analyze the site and its artifacts, they hope to understand more about the lay and clerical lives of those who built and worshipped in this ancient church. Each tile, jar, and inscribed stone plays a role in reconstructing histories once thought lost.

For now, the words and artistry of a bygone Christian community have reemerged, offering a fresh yet ancient voice from the ruins of Olympus to the modern world.