– I am so happy that I get the opportunity to work with this figure. Conservator at the Archaeological Museum at the University of Stavanger, Bettina Ebert, smiles from ear to ear at the latest and unexpected find in Stavanger Cathedral. A small figure in ivory was recently found by chance in a cellar of the church. – I was just going down and double-checking that there was nothing of historical value in the crawl space, says Sean Denham. The only entrance to the cellar is through a hole in the ceiling and down a steep ladder. – I found the ivory figure behind the ladder. – The figure was very well protected here. This is 700-year-old Melkior Now the hope is that they will find Kaspar and Baltasar as well. Both Ebert and Denham are sure that they have found Melchior, one of the three wise men who brought gifts for Jesus’ birth. – The figure shows an elderly bearded man kneeling with a crown in his hand. It is very typical of how Melkior was portrayed at the time, says osteoarchaeologist Sean Denham. The three wise men The three wise men or the holy three kings are the Christian tradition’s interpretation of the eastern star signifiers that the Star of Bethlehem led to Bethlehem and the birthplace of Jesus. They are named Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. They presented three gifts to the baby Jesus: Gold, frankincense and myrrh. visit to the baby Jesus is celebrated in the western world on the thirteenth day of Christmas, 6 January Popular altarpieces in the Middle Ages The find is so interesting that the National Antiquarian has given permission for a small excavation to see if they find more. Because in Stavanger they are sure that this Melkior is part of a larger altarpiece. From around 1300 onwards, such altarpieces with the three wise men were very popular, according to Denham. He believes this figure was made in France or England. – Such altarpieces were made there, and this figure is of very high quality. The discovery means that Stavanger was connected to the continent at that time, says Ebert. But how Melkior and perhaps the other two wise men got to Stavanger is still a mystery. The three wise men. From the left, Melkior (Melchior), Baltasar (Balthasar) and Kaspar. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / Stian Lysberg Solum Broken religious symbols – We don’t know how the figure got here. It was probably owned by the bishop, but we do not understand how it survived the Reformation and remained here. It may be that there is only that figure left, but we have to be absolutely sure, says Denham. The Reformation led to fundamental changes in religion and society in Europe. It started when the German theologian Martin Luther in 1517 criticized the papacy for having destroyed the church. Many religious symbols were broken when the church was divided into the Catholic, the Lutheran and the Reformed churches. – This find from the 14th century means that Stavanger had a connection to the continent in the Middle Ages. It gives us a lot of knowledge about religion at that time. It is a unique discovery both in Norway and Scandinavia, says Ebert. Conservator Bettina Ebert at the Archaeological Museum in Stavanger will try to find out more about where the figure came from and how it ended up in Stavanger. Photo: Åse Karin Hansen / news The same is said by special adviser Hanne Merete Moldung at the National Antiquities Authority. – It is both an important and a unique discovery in the Norwegian context. It was very good that Denham found the figure. The excavation that will now be done should not go further into the ground than 15–20 cm. Two years ago, excavations were made inside the church in connection with the extensive restoration of the cathedral, which is still ongoing. – The soil masses to be excavated may contain traces that can be linked to the figure. Any discoveries may be related to the discoveries made in the crawl space in the nave, says Moldung The restoration of the medieval church began in 2015 and is to be completed by Stavanger’s 900th anniversary in 2025. A number of discoveries have been made, but the discovery of Melkior is in a special position . He was found in a room that had been used for everything from a burial chamber to a warehouse with lots of papers. Now there was a lot of rubbish there in the form of old tip coupons and beer cans. – It is the perfect Christmas story that we found Melkior in this room, says Ebert.
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Found the wise man Melkior in Stavanger cathedral – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
