Nehorai Nir was visiting Jerusalem's historical Ein Karem neighborhood with his school when he spotted a "micro-mosaic" cross that may have been dropped by a Christian pilgrim nearly 200 years ago.
Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities AuthorityThe Christian mosaic cross discovered by a schoolboy while on a field trip in Jerusalem.
What began as a schoolboy’s hunt for edible plants in Jerusalem ended with an extraordinary discovery: a Christian mosaic cross dating back 100 to 200 years.
While exploring the historic Ein Karem neighborhood during a field trip, 10-year-old Nehorai Nir uncovered the tiny cross inlaid with colorful stones and bits of glass. Experts believe the pendant may have been dropped by a Christian pilgrim, as Ein Karem is renowned as the birthplace of John the Baptist. Though the cross isn’t ancient, officials at the Israel Antiquities Authority are heralding it as a “special and visually stunning object.”
A Schoolboy Discovers A Unique Mosaic Cross
In December 2024, a schoolboy was visiting the historical Jerusalem neighborhood of Ein Karem during a field trip when he discovered something unexpected buried in the ground.
Emil Aljam/Israel Antiquities AuthorityNehorai Nir, the 10-year-old boy who found the cross in Ein Karem.
“We were picking edible plants, and I was surprised to see on the slope below me… a beautiful red pomegranate lying there on the ground,” 10-year-old Nehorai Nir explained in a press release from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). “I ran to pick it up and discovered a worm inside, so I reluctantly put it down — but on the way back up the hill I suddenly saw a colorful object shining in the dirt. I pulled it out and was immediately very excited.”
With the encouragement and assistance of school staff, Nehorai contacted the IAA about his discovery. When officials from the authority arrived, they were “very enthused” by what the young student had uncovered: a cross crafted using a “micro-mosaic” method.
The artifact, which experts believe dates back 100 to 200 years, features vivid stones and glass inlaid in intricate, organized patterns, a style that developed in 19th-century Rome.
Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities AuthorityA closer view of the colorful glass and stones embedded in the cross.
“This cross medallion is not considered an antiquity by law as it is ‘only’ 100 to 200 hundred years old or so, but it is a unique object,” Dr. Amit Re’em, the IAA’s Jerusalem District Archaeologist, stated in the press release. “The manufacturing method demanded expert craftsmanship, which includes setting glass and tiny colorful precious stones, placed with exceeding precision to form miniature patterns. This technique was developed in Rome around the year 1800 or slightly earlier and continued until the early 20th century.”
The cross may have been brought to Jerusalem by a Christian pilgrim. Its resting place in Ein Karem strengthens this theory, as the neighborhood is the purported birthplace of John the Baptist and is a holy site in Christianity.
The Historical And Religious Influence Of Ein Karem
In the Gospel of Luke, it is written that John the Baptist was born in a “town in the hill country of Judea.” Ein Karem, located on a mountain to the west of Jerusalem, is located near both the historic city and Bethlehem, the Biblical birthplace of Jesus.
Because of its importance in the Christian faith, Ein Karem has been home to many churches and monasteries in its long history and has welcomed countless pilgrims, including the individual who left behind the mosaic cross.
Larry Koester/FlickrThe Church of the Visitation in Jerusalem, a common pilgrimage site in the Ein Karem neighborhood.
“This cross is a testament to the personal story of a pilgrim who visited Ein Karem 100 to 200 years ago, reflecting the centrality of the Holy Land to the three monotheistic religions,” Re’em stated in the press release.
The cross also serves as a physical reminder of the arduous journeys pilgrims once undertook.
“People were willing to cross deserts, mountains, and seas, often over the course of years, just to touch the soil where it all began,” Dr. Re’em explained. “The cross may have arrived with a pilgrim from Europe and fallen during their journey in the Land of Israel, or perhaps it was purchased here in Jerusalem. When Nehorai shared the story of the discovery, one could almost imagine the moment the pendant was lost — only to be found by the boy about a century later.”
After reading about the mosaic cross found in Jerusalem, go inside the story of the Holy Grail, Jesus’ cup at the Last Supper. Then, read about the hunt for the Ark of the Covenant, the wooden chest believed to have held the original Ten Commandments.
