A groundbreaking discovery has been made on Jerusalem’s Mount Zion: the oldest Chinese inscription ever found in Israel. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and the German Protestant Institute of Archaeology uncovered a 16th-century porcelain bowl, inscribed with the words: “Forever we will guard the eternal spring.” The inscription is believed to date between 1520 and 1570, during China’s Ming Dynasty.
The find marks the earliest evidence of direct exchange between China and the Land of Israel. Pottery expert Dr. Anna de Vincenz identified the writing as Chinese, while Hebrew University researcher Jingchao Chen deciphered the inscription.
This discovery is significant as it is the first known Chinese inscription on ancient porcelain found in Israel, though Chinese porcelain had been discovered in the region before. The bowl’s presence may be linked to historical trade routes between China and the Ottoman Empire, which controlled Israel at the time. Ming Dynasty records mention official Ottoman delegations visiting China during the 15th-17th centuries, possibly facilitating such exchanges.
IAA Director Eli Escusido noted that while evidence of trade with the Far East exists from earlier periods, this inscription is a fascinating confirmation of ancient, cross-continental ties.
