Since the summer of 2016, archaeologists from the University of Innsbruck have been excavating an early medieval hilltop settlement in Irschen, southern Austria. In August 2022 they made a remarkable discovery: a Christian reliquary hidden in a previously unknown church. The ancient artifact, a richly decorated ivory box, was found inside a marble shrine beneath the altar in a side chapel.
As explained in the article published by Medievalists.net, the discovery revealed a marble reliquary measuring approximately 20 by 30 centimeters. It contained a fragmented ivory pyx decorated with Christian motifs. Such pyxes are rare, with only about 40 known worldwide, mostly preserved in cathedrals or museums. The Irschen Pyx is the first of its kind to be found in an archaeological context in Austria.
Since its excavation, the fragile, 1,500-year-old ivory reliquary has been conserved at the University of Innsbruck.
Ulrike Töchterle, head of the conservation workshop, explained Medievalists.net the challenges: “Ivory stored in the ground absorbs moisture, becomes soft and easily damaged.” The team managed a careful and lengthy drying process to prevent further deterioration. While the pyx cannot be fully restored due to deformation, researchers are working on a 3D reconstruction.
Initially, it was thought that the marble box might contain the remains of a saint. However, the arrangement of the fragments suggests that the pyx was already broken when it was buried, yet treated with reverence, as is customary with sacramental objects.
One end of the pyx depicts a scene believed to represent the giving of the Laws to Moses on Mount Sinai. Other biblical figures follow, culminating in what seems to be a unique depiction of the Ascension of Christ in a two-horse chariot – a representation previously unknown in Christian art.
The hilltop settlement of Irschen in the Carinthian Drau Valley has been abandoned since around 610. Archaeologists have uncovered several dwellings, two Christian churches and a cistern. A star-shaped baptismal font and a reliquary were found in one of the churches. As the Roman Empire waned, the inhabitants sought defensible hilltop settlements and left the valley floor.
