The reliquary — a small box in which sacred relics are kept — was found in a marble shrine that was part of an early Christian church in what is now Irschen, Austria, the university said. (File photo credit: shutternelke …An ivory reliquary depicting Christian motifs dating back around 1,500 years was discovered in Irschen, Austria, the country’s University of Innsbruck announced.
“We know of around 40 ivory boxes of this kind worldwide and, as far as I know, the last time one of these was found during excavations was around 100 years ago – the few pyxes that exist are either preserved in cathedral treasures or exhibited in museums,” Gerald Grabherr, the archaeologist who found the box, said.
“The pyx was presumably also seen as sacred and was treated as such because it was in contact with a relic,” Mr. Grabherr said.
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