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Lost Crusader Altar Found in Jerusalem

Researchers have unearthed a massive medieval altar in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a site revered by Christians. Remarkably, this lost treasure had been hidden in plain sight for centuries.

The year was 1149, and Jerusalem was celebrating a special anniversary: 50 years since European Crusaders had captured the city. To mark this occasion, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a major Christian pilgrimage site, underwent a grand reconsecration. The centrepiece of this ceremony was a brand new, ornately decorated high altar.

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Historical accounts describe a magnificent marble altar that awed visitors for centuries. “We know of pilgrim accounts from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries about a magnificent marble altar in Jerusalem,” says Ilya Berkovich, historian at the Institute for Habsburg and Balkan Studies of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW) and co-author of a recent article on this historical work of art. However, following a fire in 1808, the altar vanished. Or so everyone thought.

The back of the altar. Photographer: Amit Re’em. © Israel Antiquities Authority

During recent renovations, archaeologists stumbled upon a multi-ton stone slab propped against a wall in a public corridor of the church. This slab, covered in graffiti, turned out to be the missing piece of the puzzle. Upon flipping it over, researchers discovered beautiful geometric patterns, revealing its true identity: the long-lost front panel of the Crusader altar, consecrated in 1149.

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A Hidden History Revealed

This discovery is significant for several reasons. First, the sheer fact that such an important artifact remained hidden for so long, even in a heavily trafficked church, is astonishing. “The fact that something so important could stand unrecognised in this of all places was completely unexpected for all concerned,” said Berkovich.

The altar’s unique decorative style, called “Cosmatesque,” offered another surprising clue. This technique was used almost exclusively by Roman workshops under papal patronage. The presence of Cosmatesque work in Jerusalem suggests a direct connection between the Pope and the Crusader kingdom, with the Pope asserting Christianity’s claim to the city through this magnificent altar, as Berkovich explains: “The Pope thus paid tribute to the holiest church in Christianity.”

Preliminary digital reconstruction of the Crusader high altar. Design Roy Elbag. © Ilya Berkovich/Amit Re’em

At over 11 feet wide, this altar is the largest medieval altar ever found. Further research may uncover more details about its history, including the identity of the master who created it.

You can read more about the altar in the article, “Broken, Hidden, Rediscovered: the Story of the Cosmatesque High Altar of the Holy Sepulchre,” by Ilya Berkovich and Amit Re’em, which appears in Eretz-Israel, Volume 35, 2024.

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Top Image: The front panel of the Crusader high altar as it looks today. Around two thirds of the original stone slab have been preserved. The altar was decorated with two figures, so-called quincunx. With five circles formed by a single intertwined band, the quincunx is one of the favorite motifs of Cosmatesque masters. This figure is full of spiritual meaning, including the infinity of God’s creation. The circles symbolize the five wounds of Christ and allude to the Jerusalem Cross – the emblem of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. Photographer: Shai Halevi. © Israel Antiquities Authority

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