Nehorai Nir, a 10-year-old student at the Argentine Experimental School in Kiryat Hayovel, was on a school trip in the Ein Karem neighborhood of Jerusalem.
The day was going on as normal when she came across a cross-shaped medallion, with intricate miniature mosaics. While collecting edible plants with her class, Nehorai saw what she described as “a shiny object in the ground as I was climbing a hill.”
He also said that he dug it up and was thrilled to see that it was something special. “The staff suggested I contact the Israel Antiquities Authority, and when they arrived, they were very excited about the find,” the boy said.
The cross, dated between 100 and 200 years old, offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of Christian pilgrims visiting the Holy Land. When examined by Amit Re'em, a district archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority, it was found that the cross is decorated with micro-mosaics of glass and colored gemstones, assembled with great precision, using a technique that originated in Rome around 1800 and continued into the early XNUMXth century.
Although the medallion is not considered an antique under the law due to its “relatively recent” age, its discovery in Ein Karem gives it great historical and cultural significance.
The discovery of the medallion reinforces Ein Karem's historical connection with Christian pilgrimage, as this is a venerated place in Christian tradition. According to the New Testament, it was here that Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, met Mary, mother of Jesus.
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