Glastonbury: archaeology is revealing new truths about the origins of British Christianity

[Disir]

New archaeological research on Glastonbury Abbey pushes back the date for the earliest settlement of the site by 200 years – and reopens debate on Glastonbury’s origin myths.

Many Christians believe that Glastonbury is the site of the earliest church in Britain, allegedly founded in the first or second century by Joseph of Arimathea. According to the Gospels, Joseph was the man who donated his own tomb for the body of Christ following the crucifixion.

By the 14th century, it was popularly believed that Glastonbury Abbey had been founded by the biblical figure of Joseph. The legend emerged that Joseph had travelled to Britain with the Grail, the vessel used to collect Christ’s blood. For 800 years, Glastonbury has been associated with the romance of King Arthur, the Holy Grail and Joseph of Arimathea. Later stories connected Glastonbury directly to the life of Christ.
Glastonbury: archaeology is revealing new truths about the origins of British Christianity

The research shows no evidence of the above but provides a bit on the people.

 

[Lysistrata]

New archaeological research on Glastonbury Abbey pushes back the date for the earliest settlement of the site by 200 years – and reopens debate on Glastonbury’s origin myths.

Many Christians believe that Glastonbury is the site of the earliest church in Britain, allegedly founded in the first or second century by Joseph of Arimathea. According to the Gospels, Joseph was the man who donated his own tomb for the body of Christ following the crucifixion.

By the 14th century, it was popularly believed that Glastonbury Abbey had been founded by the biblical figure of Joseph. The legend emerged that Joseph had travelled to Britain with the Grail, the vessel used to collect Christ’s blood. For 800 years, Glastonbury has been associated with the romance of King Arthur, the Holy Grail and Joseph of Arimathea. Later stories connected Glastonbury directly to the life of Christ.
Glastonbury: archaeology is revealing new truths about the origins of British Christianity

The research shows no evidence of the above but provides a bit on the people.

This is just so interesting. Thank you. You brought me back to a much-cherished personal experience. Lovely Somerset is so steeped in the mysteries of ancient times. I remember that a test of DNA taken from an extremely ancient burial done some years ago linked a local teacher to this ancient soul, after some 3,000-to-4,000 years, but I can't "dig it up" on the internet.

 

[badger2]

Sorry, Zelda, Joseph's staff was made from Crataegus, but the vandalism of the Glastonberry Thorn was just days apart from the demise of Richard Holbrooke, missionary to the islamic pathology.

 

[Lysistrata]

Sorry, Zelda, Joseph's staff was made from Crataegus, but the vandalism of the Glastonberry Thorn was just days apart from the demise of Richard Holbrooke, missionary to the islamic pathology.

That was and is so sad. I have a pin of a leaf of the Holly Thorn dipped in gold, a treasured memory of this wonderful place. This hacking was so pitiful. I never found out who did it.

 

[Picaro]

I doubt Glastonbury was the first church; maybe the first church building, dedicated ti Christian worship, but not the first church. The church that built it would have been in existence much earlier than the building itself. See Jesus's definition of 'church'. Around the end of the first century would be accurate, probably, but so could several decades earlier, depending on how fast the religion traveled from Palestine throughout the rest of the Empire via returning pilgrims; could have been as soon as a few weeks after Jesus's first public sermons in Galilee. The legend of Arimathea would certainly indicate a mid-1st Century founding as well. 2nd Century would indeed be pretty late. Doubtful the first building would be anything near as grand as the building in the pic, though, and probably not made of stone, either.