Rare ancient Christian ivory pyx depicts Moses and Jesus along with other religious imagery

Christianity is around 2,000 years old but not a lot of artefacts or relics have been found linked to the faith. Excavations have led to the discovery of only about 40 items to date, with the last one coming around 100 years ago. However, a recent finding throws light on some portions of the religion which have been described in the Bible.

Archaeologists have found an ancient relic showing Moses receiving the 10 Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. A church that appeared after excavation in Austria had a marble shrine and the 1,500-year-old ivory box was found inside the shrine. Saints and Jesus have also been depicted on this prized box.

The team has also uncovered remains of people who lived in the region and were likely "social upper class", although they are presumed to have died at different times.

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The Church

Researchers at the University of Innsbruck made the discovery while excavating an early Christian church that was once likely a pagan sanctuary. However, after Roman emperor Constantine the Great converted to Christianity, he issued the Edict of Milan in 313 AD legalising the religion. Later in 380 AD, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

The researchers pulled out a sealing stone from a depression in the area where an altar supposedly used to stand. The marble box was found broken into pieces inside the sealing stone. Scenes from the Old and New Testaments showing bearded men are depicted around the box. Experts say that this box was considered extremely holy, so it being found left among the ruins seems a bit weird.

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Christian imagery on the box

It shows Moses and Jesus Christ, although experts aren't fully sure of the depiction. They assume that it shows Moses either receiving the laws from God or parting the Red Sea since the figure is at the foot of a mountain.

Another imagery is assumed to be showing Jesus resurrecting from the burial chamber following the crucifixion.

"A second scene that we can address well is the figure being pulled up again by a hand that sticks out of the cloud, which is the hand of God again. And here we are dealing with an ascension. In addition to the hand of God, a team of horses is also shown here. You can still see two horses and a wheel from the cart," Dr Barbara Kainrath, who was part of the research, said.

There are several passages in the Bible that show two horses, so it is hard to ascertain which scene has been depicted on the box.

Researchers also say that the ivory pyx was likely made in a different region, considering the materials needed to make it were not available in the region. "So we're assuming an area between Alexandria, Ravenna or – the closest – Aquileia would be conceivable," a researcher said.