Archaeologists uncovered a rare embroidered Deisis depicting Jesus Christ in a medieval burial ground, according to Heritage Daily.
The embroidered fabric was found during the construction of the Moscow-Kazan highway, where researchers uncovered a medieval settlement and a Christian cemetery.
46 graves were exhumed, including one containing a 16-to-25-year-old woman buried with the fabric, which depicts Jesus Christ in a blessing pose and John the Baptist facing him in a prayerful pose.
What is the Deisis?
The Deisis is a traditional iconic representation of Christ in Majesty - the Western Christian image of Jesus on a throne as king of the world - or Christ Pantocrator - the Eastern Christian image of Jesus as the omnipotent judge of humanity.
“[The] highest level of craftsmanship, jewellery subtlety and elegance went into making this miniature embroidery.”
Researchers
The archaeologists believe the embroidered fabric was a headdress made of silk samite. Similar specimens have been found at the Ivorovsky necropolis - where a depiction of Michael the Archangel with a spear was found - and the Karoshky necropolis - where embroidered depictions of crosses and saints were found.
The fabric is 12.1 cm long by 5.5 cm wide and is made up of two parts connected by a vertical seam featuring a gold ribbon with a braided pattern.
Although the lining was not preserved, researchers found pieces of tree bark and needle marks along the lower and upper edges of the fabric using a microscope.
The researchers said that the “highest level of craftsmanship, jewelry subtlety and elegance went into making this miniature embroidery.”