A
Roman-era gold ring bearing an image used by early Christians to
symbolise Jesus has been found by archaeologists off Israel's
Mediterranean coast.
The
Israel Antiquities Authority said the ring was set with a green
gemstone carved with the figure of a shepherd boy carrying a sheep on
his shoulders.
In the Bible, Jesus describes himself as the "Good Shepherd".
The ring was among a number of artefacts discovered in two shipwrecks near the ancient port of Caesarea.
The
other treasures include hundreds of silver and bronze Roman coins from
the mid-3rd Century and a large hoard of silver coins from the early
14th Century, during the Mamluk period.
Archaeologists
also found Roman-era figurines in the form of an eagle and a theatre
performer in a comic mask; bronze bells intended to ward off evil
spirits; and a ring set with a red gemstone carved with a lyre.
The
Israel Antiquities Authority said the remains of the ships' hulls and
their cargoes were found scattered on the sea floor at a depth of about
4m (13ft).
"The ships were probably anchored nearby and were wrecked by a storm," said Jacob Sharvit of the IAA's Marine Archaeology Unit.
Caesarea
was home to one of the first Christian communities and, according to
the New Testament, was where the apostle Peter baptised the Roman
centurion Cornelius.
"This
was the first instance of a non-Jew being accepted into the Christian
community," Mr Sharvit said. "From here, the Christian religion began to
be disseminated across the world."
The ships' cargoes and the remains of their wrecked hulls were found scattered in shallow water
The marine treasure includes hundreds of silver and bronze Roman coins from the 3rd Century
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