Dr Konstantinos Politis will be presenting a talk titled Archaeology and the Bible in Jordan: Sanctuary of Lot. Dr Politis is an archaeologist educated in Greece, the US, Belgium and Britain, and specialises in the early Byzantine/Christian and early Islamic periods.
The Monastery of Aghios Lot at the south-eastern end of the Dead Sea in Jordan is a significant piece of history for Christians.

As revealed by excavations, the Monastery of Aghios Lot consisted of an early Byzantine monastic complex with a number of hermits’ cells above it. The focal point was a triple-apsed basilica church built around a natural cave that early Christians believed was where Lot and his daughters took refuge after the destruction of Sodom (Genesis 19). It is flanked to the south by a large reservoir and to the north by a refectory with an oven, a communal burial chamber and a pilgrim’s hostel. The church is adorned by five mosaic floor pavements inscribed in Byzantine-period Greek and dated to 572/3 AD, April 605/7 AD and May 691 AD.

Three other Greek inscriptions on stone which invoke Aghios Lot, confirm the Christian identification of the site as Lot’s Sanctuary.
The public lecture will be held at the Women’s College of the University of Sydney on Tuesday 15 May at 6:30 pm. Bookings are essential and prepayment is preferred.

To RSVP and for enquiries call (02) 9351 4151 or email neaf.archaeology@sydney.edu.au