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The Byzantine brbad weight carries a silver cross previously discovered in Hippos, an archeological site overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
(Photo credit: UNIVERSITY OF HAIFA)
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A silver cross deliberately concealed on the obverse of Byzantine weight was discovered in Hippos (Sussita) in northern Israel during the excavations of the University from Haifa on the site, announced the university Wednesday. Sandstones and archaeologists consider this discovery "an irrefutable proof of the delicate relations between the city's Christian residents and its new Muslim rulers," from the mid-7th century AD.
"More or less by chance, we discovered a spot covering the cross on the obverse of the weight," said Dr. Michael Eisenberg of the Zinman Institute of Archeology of the United States. University of Haifa, which directs the excavations of Hippos-Sussita. "At first we were convinced that it was just dirt, but in fact the stain was deliberately made to hide a cross, a Christian religious symbol used by the Christian population, so that they could continue to use the weight in their contacts with the new Muslim leaders.It is the first time we find a weight bearing this type of hidden element. "
The Sussita National Park, managed by the l & # 39; Authority Nature and Parks, has been excavated since 2000 by a delegation of the Institute of Archeology of the University of Haifa. Hippos was founded in the second century CE, and later became an important city during the Roman and Byzantine periods. The city was demolished during a violent earthquake in 749, at the time when the land was ruled by the first Islamic caliphate of the Umayyad administration, which occupied the country in the middle of the seventh century.
Bradley Bowlin discovered the small brbad weight dating from the Byzantine period in the northwestern enclosure of the site. Similar weights were found in the past, and the object was pbaded on to Dr. Alexander Lermolin, director of the conservation laboratory of the Archaeological Institute of Haifa University
Few weeks later, Lermolin contacted Eisenberg a spot on the obverse of the weight had hidden a cross encrusted with silver; the other decorative elements on the weight were not hidden in this way. "At first, we thought it was a random pollution.We intended to simply remove the dark spot and then continue the preservation process." We decided to take some time " , reminds Eisenberg
Instead of simply removing the stain, they pbaded on the weight to Professor Sariel Shalev of the University of Haifa, who is an expert in antiquity, metallurgy.After preparing a chemical profile of the weight and from the stain, Shalev discovered that, although the weight is brbad, the stain was made from a metal paste containing lead and tin
.Third, the temperature Since the people during this period had a strong mastery of craftsmanship, it was clear that the stain had been made deliberately.In addition, small sections of the silver cross had been chiseled in order to make sure that the weight of the object remained unchanged. In conclusion, there was no chance that the task was a coincidence, "concluded Shalev.
The researchers then examined why someone bothered to conceal the cross Since many historical accounts indicate that at least rule, the new authorities showed a tolerant attitude towards the Christian population.In Hippos, for example, at least seven churches were discovered, most of which continued to during this period, without any sign of destruction.
Eisenberg says that while Muslim rulers allowed Christian residents to continue their religious worship, their tolerance has its limits.
"The cross was deliberately covered by the church officials at the beginning of the Islamic period so that they can continue to use the weight, with other weights in the official city weights kept in the church as well as in their contacts with the Muslim administration in Tiberias. This situation provides a clear illustration of the demarcation line during this period of regime change between considerable religious and cultural freedom and the point where a Muslim official might be forced to hold an object displaying an overtly Christian emblem, "said Eisenberg. The weight is on display at the Hecht Museum of Haifa University, as part of an exhibition entitled "Before the Earth is shaken: the ancient city of Hippos-Sussita emerges."
