Archaeologists have discovered an “important” religious relic decorated with Christian motifs hidden within a marble shrine of an early church excavated in Austria.
The 1,500-year-old ivory box depicts a scene of Moses receiving the 10 Commandments from God on Mount Sinai, as described in the Old Testament, along with images of saints and the ascension of Christ.
The circular box was also made using metal as a “glue” for the ivory and wood used as a clasp.
The researchers noted that only 40 such discoveries have been made worldwide, and that the last one was found during excavations about 100 years ago.
Archaeologists have discovered a “significant” religious relic decorated with Christian motifs hidden inside a marble shrine of an early church excavated in Austria
The 1,500-year-old ivory box depicts a scene of Moses receiving the 10 Commandments from God on Mount Sinai as described in the Old Testament, along with images of saints and the ascension of Christ.
The discovery was made by archaeologists from the University of Innsbruck who were excavating an early Christian church that once stood atop the Burgbichl in the municipality of Irschen, southern Austria.
The relic was the most sacred part of the church and should have been taken before it was abandoned, leaving experts wondering why it remained among the ruins.
“The pyx was also considered sacred and treated as such because it was in contact with a relic. The archaeological and historical importance of the pyx cannot be denied,” said Gerald Grabherr, lead archaeologist.
The characters appearing around the box are all bearded men in long robes depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
Although archaeologists hypothesized that Moses and Christ appear on the box, they admitted that the interpretation is not fully known.
For Moses, the team speculated it could be him receiving laws from God or striking his staff in the water to part the Red Sea as the figure stands at the foot of a mountain.
Another scene may be images of Jesus rising from the burial chamber after the crucifixion.
“The head is turned in a different direction and with this representation we can grasp (God) handing the law to Moses,” said Dr. Barbara Kainrath, who is involved in the research.
The relic was the holistic part of the church and should have been taken before being abandoned, leaving experts wondering why it remained among the ruins.
For Moses, the team speculated that it could be him receiving laws from God or striking his staff in the water to part the Red Sea as the figure stands at the foot of a mountain.
The characters appearing around the box are all bearded men in long robes depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
‘A second scene that we can approach well is the figure that is lifted again by a hand that protrudes from the cloud, which is again the hand of God.
‘And here we are dealing with an ascension. In addition to the hand of God, a team of horses is also shown here. Two horses and a wheel from the chariot can still be seen.
The Bible includes several passages with two horses, including Revelation 19:11 which says, “I saw heaven open and a white horse; He who rode it was called Faithful and True.”
The Book of Exodus also tells of the Egyptians riding horses and chariots as they pursued Moses and the Israelites.
The church was about 20 meters long and had a marble threshold at the entrance. To the south and west there were burial sites: the team has discovered remains of people who once lived in the region and who they believe belonged to the “upper social class”.
The box was found inside a square marble box that was discovered beneath what was once an altar.
However, the team noted that Elijah’s ascension to the heavens could also be a possibility.
The Second Book of Kings says: ‘While they were walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire separated them both, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind.
Elijah was a prophet known in the Bible for saving the religion of Yahweh from being corrupted by the natural worship of Baal, a comparable being who was worshiped at the same time in Jerusalem.
The team noted that while the box was found in southern Austria, it was unlikely to have been made there due to a lack of necessary materials in the region.
“Therefore, the ivory box or pyx is undoubtedly a product that was not made in Irschen,” says a researcher in a video.
‘From the quality of the workmanship and the skill of the craftsman, one can be sure that they were located in a major urban center, that craftsman or those craftsmen.
The circular-shaped box was also made of metal as a “glue” for the ivory and wood used as a clasp.
The human remains of three adults, a teenager and four children will be recovered and examined at the Natural History Museum in Vienna.
“So we assume that an area between Alexandria, Ravenna or, the closest, Aquileia would be conceivable.”
The box was found in several pieces, suggesting it may have been broken before being placed in the large marble box found beneath the sanctuary of the ancient church.
Either the pyx was already in a destroyed, broken state, the marble cube or someone was manipulating it,” he said. Dr. Ulrike Tochterle.
“Someone probably tried to remove the relic. It is very noticeable that parts are missing, such as the ironwork, and also parts of the relief on the exterior wall.”
The church was about 60 feet long and had a marble threshold at its entrance.
To the south and west were burial sites: the team discovered remains of people who once lived in the region and who they believe were of “high social class.”
The human remains of three adults, one teenager and four children can be recovered and examined at the Natural History Museum in Vienna.
However, researchers point out that the people did not die at the same time, but were buried one after the other.
It is believed that between 200 and 300 people lived in the area in late antiquity, between the 3rd and 7th centuries AD.