The Kriophoros Ring (recently found at ancient Caesarea)

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billd89
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The Kriophoros Ring (recently found at ancient Caesarea)

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I noticed this in my news feed a month or so back, a discovery from an Israeli harbor. Most folks here probably saw the news; here's the official statement:
https://www.gov.il/en/departments/gener ... ember-2021

The coins recovered date to c.250 AD.
Another exquisite and rare find is a thick, octagonal gold ring set with a green gemstone carved with the figure of a young shepherd boy dressed in a tunic and bearing a ram or a sheep on his shoulders. The image, of the ‘Good Shepherd', is one of the earliest and oldest images used in Christianity for symbolizing Jesus; it represents Jesus as humanity’s compassionate shepherd, extending his benevolence to his flock of believers and all mankind. This unique gold ring bearing the figure of the ‘Good Shepherd’ gives us, possibly, an indication of its owner, an early Christian.
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The recently discovered intaglio may be compared to an example from BM 465169001:
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The story is getting pop culture traction:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/does-an-a ... sus-christ

The ring (I'd suppose) represents Hermes Kriophoros, not Jesus.

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