The discovery was made off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. A signet ring, which was probably worn by the early Christians, is embedded in a green stone with the figure of a shepherd carrying a sheep on his shoulders.
“While the image of the good shepherd was common in early Christian symbolism, it is rarely included in the ring,” says Helena Sokolova, curator of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s Mint Department.
An ancient ‘Good Shepherd’ ring – one of the earliest symbols used by the Christian community in the east, according to archeologists – was recovered from centuries-old shipwrecks off Israel https://t.co/bc53noWDRS pic.twitter.com/1thYusmZnN
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 23, 2021
The ring was one of many artifacts unearthed by archaeologists in two shipwrecks near the ancient port of Caesarea. Other treasures include hundreds of silver and bronze Roman coins from the mid-third century and a large collection of silver coins from the early fourteenth century.
‘Good Shepherd’ gold ring found in Roman-era wreck off Israel
? @gharabli_ahmad #AFP pic.twitter.com/SQu3ERWz2O— AFP Photo (@AFPphoto) December 22, 2021
Archaeologists also found statuettes from Roman times – an eagle and a theater actor wearing a comedy mask, bronze bells designed to ward off evil spirits, and a ring with a red stone.
The remains of the hulls of the ships and their cargo were found scattered on the seabed at a depth of about 4 meters. Caesarea was home to one of the earliest Christian communities, and according to the New Testament, Saint Peter baptized the Roman centurion Cornelius there.