Archaeologists have found the grave of the apostle Matthew at the bottom of Lake Issyk-Kul
Diving to the bottom of Issyk-Kul, scientist divers from Tomsk were confident they would find something interesting. After all, this lake is a crossroads of Asian roads, and people have lived here for thousands of years.
From the sand at the bottom, they retrieved a jug, and on it were inscriptions. Already on the shore, it becomes clear – this is an incredible archaeological discovery.
These inscriptions may be Armenian-Syrian, which would confirm the existence of an Armenian monastery there in the 14th century, where the relics of the evangelist Matthew could have been evacuated.
All that is known about the apostle Matthew from the Bible is that he was a tax collector. There is no information about his later life. He died either in Ethiopia or in the territory of modern Turkey, perhaps in Syria. Christians living there were considered heretics by the official church. Perhaps, fleeing from persecution to the east, they took the relic with them.
In any case, now archaeologists will begin to dive to the bottom of Issyk-Kul with even greater interest. After all, the ever-changing lake may reveal new secrets. According to legend, somewhere here lies the grave of Genghis Khan.
My Archaeologists have found the grave of the apostle Matthew at the bottom of Lake Issyk-Kul
