Early Christian tomb (Niš) | monument, grave

 monument, grave

An early Christian tomb was discovered by accident in 1953 in Jagodin mala of Niš, on a right bank of the Nišava river, on the area of a necropolis dating from an early period of antiquity. It was built of brick in a rectangular ground plan, with a barrel vault above. At its east side there is a staircase that leads down to the interior which is wall partitioned into four graves.

The tomb interior is fresco painted. On its east wall, above the entrance there is a Christ’s monogram painted inside a wreath of palm branches, while the standing figures on the both sides of the entrance door have been identified as Apostles peter and Paul. The tomb had been already plundered in the antiquity, so based upon analogies in decorations, it could be dated to the mid 4th up to mid 5th century.

Conservation works were carried out in 1954 and 1958, so the tomb is now accessible to visitors.