In Pskov, archaeologists discovered the rarest Byzantine cross-encolpion with the face of St. Basil
The unique find was made by specialists during archaeological support of works on laying communications on the Krasnoarmeyskaya embankment of Pskov
A unique find was made by specialists during archaeological support of works on laying communications on the Krasnoarmeyskaya embankment of Pskov. According to representatives of the Archaeological Center of the Pskov region, we are talking about a fragment of the Byzantine cross-encolpion handmade with the image of St. Basil.
The researchers clarified that the image on the cross was not stamped, but engraved. It's a unique exhibit.
Encolpion is a hollow bivalve cross that served as an ark for storing particles of relics or other shrines. In ancient times, it served as a talisman, protecting the owner from misfortunes, especially during long journeys.
The find was made on the site where archaeological excavations were conducted earlier. In previous years, traces of the settlement of the XV-XVII centuries were found here, including the remains of a bone-carving workshop and stone buildings. Other notable artifacts from this object include an ornamented tweezer, a bone case, a button depicting a thistle, a porcelain figure of a hare and a kopoushka (an ear cleaning tool) with a bird-like top.
