The world's first archaeological evidence of extreme asceticism practiced by nuns has been uncovered in Jerusalem, at a burial site identified as a Byzantine monastery, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). The body of a female nun was found wrapped in chains, indicating self-imposed harsh treatment. The remains were discovered around three kilometers northwest of Jerusalem's Old City in what was identified as a Byzantine monastery that operated between the 5th and 7th centuries CE. The practice of extreme asceticism, particularly with the wrapping of the body in chains, was associated with women and was widespread among Byzantine monks in antiquity.