#lentulus

[mormontreasures]

Why does Jesus have a forked beard?

Largely thanks to the Letter of Lentulus. This letter “penned” by a Governor of Judah contemporary to Jesus described a man with hair parted in the middle of the head, wavy hair below the ears, light skinned, and a forked beard. This letter likely inspired Christian European artists to depict Jesus with wavy brown hair, white skin, neutral lip position, and a beard parted right in the cleft.