A magnificent long-lost 900-year-old Crusader altar has been discovered hidden behind a stone slab covered in graffiti in Jerusalem, it has emerged.
The marble altar was created by Christian crusaders in 1149 to give thanks to God after they conquered Islamic forces and proclaimed the city the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
But it was lost for centuries after a fire ravaged its site in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and it faded from modern memory.
Now archaeologists carrying out restorations to the church are astonished after stumbling across the altar completely by accident.
It was found behind a huge slab of stone weighing several tonnes in one of the building’s back corridors.
Photos show the slab had been used by generations of visitor to leave their mark on the building.
The altar is damaged but still shows off the distinctive circular patterns on its fascia which were recorded before it was lost in the early 19th century.
Austria’s Academy of Silences (OeAW), which helped unearth the ancient altar, describes it as one of the greatest ever Christian shrines.
They said in a statement on 15th July obtained by Newsflash: “In the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, a team including historians from the Austrian Academy of Sciences accidentally came across the largest known medieval altar, which had been thought lost for decades.
“The exceptionally artistic Crusader high altar, consecrated in 1149, points to a previously unknown connection between Rome and the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem.”
They continued: “July 15, 1149 was a special day for Jerusalem: exactly 50 years earlier, European crusaders had conquered the Holy City and proclaimed the Kingdom of Jerusalem after centuries of Muslim rule.
“Now a splendid anniversary was to further consolidate the young kingdom. The highlight was the renewed consecration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre – one of the greatest shrines in Christendom.
“In the middle of the church building, which had been magnificently expanded in the Romanesque style in the years before, a special work of art saw the light of day: a newly created high altar.”
OeAW historian Ilya Berkovich said: “We know of pilgrimage reports from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries about a magnificent marble altar in Jerusalem.
“In 1808 there was a large fire in the Romanesque part of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
“Since then, the Crusader altar has not been there – at least that is what people thought for a long time.”
OeAW’s statement explained: “In a rear corridor of the publicly accessible church, a stone slab weighing several tons had been leaning against the wall for an indefinite period of time, neglected and tourists had immortalised themselves on the front side with graffiti.
“When the slab was turned over due to construction work, it revealed its much older artistic heritage.
“The slab decorated with bow ornaments on this side was quickly identified as the once magnificent front side of the medieval Crusader altar.
Scientists are baffled as to how something so important could remain unseen in one of thr world’s most studied and visited historic sites.
They said: “The fact that something so important could lie undetected in this place for so long was completely unexpected for everyone involved.”
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
