Moscow: A material evidence of human activity dating back 3,000 years ago has been reported in New Jerusalem monastery near Russian capital Moscow.
"Archaeologists have found ceramics produced back in
the times of the Bronze Age, or about 800 years BC, as well as
some artefacts made after Christ's birth," the monastery's
abbot, hegumen Theophilactus has said.
One of the finds is jewellery of the 11th century.
Numerous new finds are directly related to the
monastery's history, or rather, to the period from the
mid-17th through to the end of the 19th century.
"They give us a clear picture, for instance, of the
ceramic ovens the monastery had and of the dishes they used
here," hegumen Theophilactus told Itar-Tass.
The list of finds includes cannonballs, a silver hoard
and separate coins.
"There's even a gold coin minted at the Hungarian
royal court in the 15th century," the abbot said.
"This wasn't a coin for monetary circulation, though,
it was a gift article, which the king would present only to
the people close to him."
"Also, the workers have found the cobbled floor of a
pond that was dug in the 17th century during the rule of
Patriarch Nikon," Theophilactus said adding "its floor was
reinforced with a 50-centimetres-thick layer of clay."
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, November 20, 2009, 12:54