A team of researchers and archaeologists have uncovered a series of centuries-old inscriptions within the Cenacle in Jerusalem—a site long believed to be the location of the Last Supper which Jesus Christ ate with his disciples before his Crucifixion and Resurrection.

Researchers from the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) and the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) found nearly 40 elements of what could be labeled as ancient graffiti located in The Room of the Last Supper, which is located on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

The findings, which were recently published in Liber Annuus, are categorized as 30 inscriptions and nine drawings on the walls of the room.

As CBN News reported, The Cenaculum's ancient walls, worn-down surfaces, and poor illumination have previously made it hard for researchers to study its history. 

But that has changed with recent technological advancements. 

"Using ground-penetrating radar, laser measurement, laser scanning, and an advanced photography technique, we managed to reach every corner of the Last Supper room. We managed to create an accurate 3-D model of the place. We even managed to penetrate inside the ancient stones," archaeologist Amit Re'em told CBN News.

Previously, the technology helped uncover old artwork on the walls and decipher religious symbols. Re'em said they found symbols of the "Lion of Judah" and "Agnus Dei," a lamb that represents Jesus. 

Now the latest discovery of inscriptions, which date from the Middle Ages, are giving scientists a deeper understanding of the visitors that frequented the historical site. 

Researchers documented the newest inscriptions, which were very detailed, by using multispectral photography and Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI). The images were then analyzed in a lab to create a readable inscription, Fox News reports.

"These graffiti shed new light on the geographical diversity and the international pilgrimage movement to Jerusalem in the Middle Ages," said Ilya Berkovich, co-author from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, according to Scinexx.

The discoveries reveal that Christians appear to have trekked to the site between the 14th and 16th centuries. Several of the pilgrims left messages in their native language.

Scholars believe that one of the inscriptions was written by a Christian woman from Aleppo.

Another inscription bears the name of Johannes Poloner from Regensburg in Germany. According to Archeology News, he traveled to Jerusalem in AD 1421–22 and later wrote a book about his pilgrimage.

Several nobleman and knights left inscriptions throughout the site. There is a coat of arms from Tristram von Teuffenbach, a Styrian nobleman, who traveled with Archduke Frederick of Habsburg in 1436. And Swiss knight Adrian I von Bubenberg, who is remembered for defending Bern, also left an inscription. 

Researchers also found an Armenian inscription reading "Christmas 1300." They believe that the location of the inscription plus its markings are tied to Armenian nobles which adds credibility to the theory that King Het'um II of Armenia and his troops reached Jerusalem after the victory at the Battle of Wādī al-Khaznadār in Syria on December 22, 1299, the Jerusalem Post reports.

A drawing of a scorpion was also found which is presumably when the Muslim military leader Suleiman "the Magnificent" took over the Cenacle in 1523 and turned it into a mosque.

Berkovich says the discovery is shifting the narrative about the types of visitors to the Cenacle.

"When put together, the inscriptions provide a unique insight into the geographical origins of the pilgrims," said Berkovich in a press release. "This was far more diverse than current Western-dominated research perspective led us to believe." 

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