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For centuries, a major archaeological find was waiting in the corner of Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre. An enormous stone slab marked with the centuries-old graffiti of pilgrims has been revealed to be the remains of the original medieval altar, used in the sanctuary until 1808.
Jerusalem’s regional archaeologist for the Israel Antiquities Authority, Amit Re’em, called the discovery “a fascinating case.” He told Reuters:
Cosmatesque style
Reuters goes on to identify the artistic style of the altar as "Cosmatesque," a combination of the classical, Byzantine and early Islamic artistic styles. Similar to a mosaic, the Cosmatesque style fills in circular engravings on the rock with tiles of colorful marble and glass.
Previously discovered examples of the Cosmatesque style in Jerusalem have been dated between the 12th and 13th centuries, which may be when the altar was created. Experts believe that the altar was used by Catholic clergymen during the Crusades and the Greek Orthodox until it was damaged by a fire in the early 19th century.
Historical artwork
CNN highlighted the remarks of the chief secretary of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, who hailed the artistic value of the ancient altar:
A full report of the findings of the Israel Exploration Society is forthcoming. There has been no mention of what will become of the medieval altar, but it could be restored and replaced in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre’s sanctuary, or perhaps displayed as a historical artifact.
