Early Christian Garments

In the article, Gammadia on Early Jewish and Christian Garments, by John W. Welch and Claire Foley tell of many finds in archeology where the gammdia markings show up:

"Among the textile fragments excavated at Masada were the remains of pieces of fabric with L-shaped cloth markings affixed to them. Dating to before a.d.73, these are among the very earliest known examples of such marked garments"

"Gammadia have also been found in a cache of clothing believed to be himatia (shawls) that was discovered in an embankment at Dura-Europos on the Euphrates River in modern Syria. The Dura findings include another variation in the gammadia: "the ornament sometimes takes the form of a stripe ending in an arrow, which also is represented in the synagogue" ( Erwin R. Goodenough, Jewish Symbols in the Greco-Roman Period).

Interestingly, the Talmud demands that priests execute their most sacred religious duty, that of sacrifice, by applying the blood of the sacrificial animal to the altar in a gamma pattern: "he made the single application in the shape of a Greek Gamma"" (Zebah.im 53b).

After the Lord’s ascension, Saint Mark brought Christianity to Egypt where the Coptic Church thrived and is based on his teachings. The Coptic Christians flourished in the early years of Christianity and has survived in spite of persecution down through the centuries to the present day.

In early Christian archeological finds in Egypt gammadia markings have been found on some of these ancient garments. Said to have marks or symbols on them, the Coptic tunic (shirt) has markings very similar to other markings found on garments found in other parts of the Christian world. There is a tunic-shirt that has been dated "4th to 5th century" AD. A navel mark can be seen ( - ). But also over the left breast area, is a faded ( V ) mark, or possible symbol. On the side of the right breast area is what is described as a reverse ( L ) mark or symbol. The Coptic Christians believed that "The dead" are "dressed in the clothes they had worn in life, . . . Women often had their heads covered with a veil or kerchief; men wore a cap."(Ludmila Kybalova, Coptic Textiles, (Artia, Prague: Paul Hamlyn Ltd., 1967), pp. 34, 68-69, fig.15-16. Marks or symbols in Tunic, 4 or 5th century, Pushkin Museum, Moscow; Inventory # 5823. Purchased in Egypt by V.S Golenishchev.)

Paul wrote "for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." (Gal.6:17)

And: "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus's sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh." (2 Cor.4:10-11).

Paul also likens the veil, as a type of Christ's flesh, "the veil, that is to say, his flesh." He then goes on to hint to washing & anointing ordinances, (Heb.10:16-22).