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New Danish Christian Relic

The cross discovered by Danish amateur archaeologist Dennis Fabricius Holm can change the scientists’ idea of when Christianity was adopted in Denmark, the experts say.

New Danish Christian Relic

New Danish Christian Relic

New Danish Christian Relic

New Danish Christian Relic

The sensational find dates from the first half of the 10th century, and predates the Jelling stone (965), which is believed to be the earliest representation of Jesus in the history of Denmark.

Amateur archaeologist was using a metal detector in Aunslev on the island of Funen, Denmark, when he found a strange object, which could be the oldest crucifix among all those found in Denmark. The experts from Ostfyns Museer dated the find to the first half of the 10th century.

The object, made of gold, was discovered on March 10, this year. The height of the cross is 4.1 cm. The weight of the artefact – 13.2 g. On the obverse there is an image of a human figure with outstretched hands. The reverse side is smooth. The crucifix was hung by a ring located at the top.

According to the specialists, the objects is similar to a gilded silver cross, found in 1879 in a female burial of the Viking epoch in the area of the ancient city of Birka near Stockholm, Sweden.

The cross found in Aunslev, unlike the cross in Birka, was discovered in a field. According to Danish archaeologists, the artefact, most likely, belonged to a woman. But so far, it is not clear whether it was a Christian symbol, or just a piece of pagan jewellery.

At the present time, the oldest image of Christ in Denmark, as some scientists think, is the drawing on a Runic stone in Jelling, erected by Harald Bluetooth in the second half of the 10th century.

Similar crucifixes had been found in Denmark before, but the recently discovered one is the most well-preserved as of today. After the age of the find is finally confirmed, the relic will become part of the exposition of the Viking museum at Ladby.

This article is translated from the web-resource: http://old.archeo-news.ru, posted on March 18, 2016.

Один комментарий

  1. очень красивая находка. у меня в последнее время появилось желанием приобрести металлоискатель. и пойти с ним погулять.

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