Sealed bronze cross found at ancient Lystra restored

KONYA

A two-piece bronze cross unearthed during excavations at the ancient city of Lystra in Konya’s Meram district has been cleaned and conserved by an expert restorer.

Excavation work continues at the Lystra ancient city, located within the borders of the Hatunsaray and Botsa neighborhoods, with permission from the Culture and Tourism Ministry and support from Necmettin Erbakan University, the Konya Metropolitan Municipality and the Meram Municipality.

The site, led by Necmettin Erbakan University faculty member Professor İlker Mete Mimiroğlu, is known as one of the places visited by St. Paul, who is believed to have played a key role in the spread of Christianity.

Excavations in church areas have revealed metal finds, including crosses and various items of jewelry from graves. Among them, a rare bronze reliquary cross, dated to between the 9th and 11th centuries and considered significant for the history of Christianity, drew particular excitement from the excavation team.

The two-piece cross, decorated with geometric motifs, was restored with great care at the Archaeology Museum and placed under protection.

Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, Mimiroğlu said the excavation team has been carrying out cleaning work on artifacts together with the site’s restorer.

Noting that the two-year excavation has yielded important discoveries, he said that surprising artifacts continue to emerge. “One of our most significant finds is currently being cleaned — a reliquary cross. It was found unopened at the excavation site. Because it is sealed, we cannot open it without risking damage. By cleaning centuries of deterioration, we aim to ensure the artifact is clearly preserved for future generations,” he said.

Mimiroğlu noted that reliquaries are usually found broken, opened or in single pieces during excavations. “We have uncovered more than one reliquary at Lystra, but almost all were broken. This piece, however, was found sealed and closed as it was when first made, which is what makes it so exciting,” he added.

No material found inside

Mimiroğlu noted the artifact was permanently sealed using a riveting technique, offering insights into the usage practices of the period.

He explained that reliquaries are containers used to hold relics belonging to saints or objects considered sacred, some of which were worn around the neck like pendants.

The reliquary cross found at Lystra does not feature a human figure, Mimiroğlu said. “This reliquary was designed to be worn like a necklace. It has a simple decoration made up of geometric motifs. Although it cannot be opened, when we looked through the gap, we did not observe any material inside. There was a piece of cloth resembling a shroud on it, but that can only be confirmed if the two halves are opened. From the riveting, we understand that there is no opening-and-closing mechanism and that it was sealed,” he said.