Archaeologists have discovered a rare inscription at a biblically significant site in Jerusalem.

A Chinese inscription dating to the 16th century has been spotted on a fragment of a porcelain bowl found on Mount Zion, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said in a statement.

Mount Zion is home to the Upper Room, the room traditionally believed to be where Jesus shared the Last Supper. The ground floor of the same building is also believed, according to medieval tradition, to contain the tomb of the biblical King David. However, the actual location of the burial is a matter of historical and religious debate.

The inscription on a recently discovered porcelain shard reads: “Forever we will guard the eternal spring.” According to the IAA, the artifact represents the oldest known Chinese inscription found in Israel.

“In archaeological research, evidence of trade relations between traders in the land of Israel and the Far East is known from earlier periods – for example with various spices. But it is fascinating to come across evidence of these relations also in the form of an actual inscription written in the Chinese language and in an unexpected location – on Mount Zion in Jerusalem,” IAA director Eli Escusido said in a statement.

The porcelain fragment came to light during excavations carried out by the IAA in cooperation with the German Protestant Archaeological Institute on Mount Sion over the past three years.

Most of the finds uncovered by these excavations date from the Byzantine period (roughly 4th–7th centuries) and earlier from the Second Temple period (516 BC–70 AD). However, the porcelain fragment dates from a much later period and has an unexpected provenance, making it a surprising find in this context.

The fragment of a colored porcelain bowl is believed to date from 1520 to 1570 and appears to be from China’s Ming Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty – lasting from 1368 to 1644 – ruled China after the overthrow of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. Founded by Emperor Hongwu, the dynasty is known for restoring Han Chinese rule and promoting Confucian values.

The Ming era saw significant cultural, technological and maritime advances in China, including the construction of the Forbidden City. She is also famous for her contributions to literature and the arts and her attempts to establish effective governance.

It eventually collapsed due to internal strife, corruption, and peasant uprisings, paving the way for the rise of the Qing dynasty.

Historical sources indicated that the Chinese Empire had close trade relations with the Ottoman Empire, which ruled Israel at the time, in the 16th century. This may explain the presence of a porcelain bowl fragment found on Mount Zion.