‘Ancient’ Christian amulet exposed as modern hoax
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A silver cross regarded as one of the most important early Christian artefacts found in Britain is a modern fake, scientists confirmed yesterday. –
The London Times reports The Chi-Rho Amulet, which bears an early Christian symbol incorporating the
first two letters of Christ’s name in Greek, was found in a 4th-century
Roman grave near the Somerset town of Shepton Mallet in 1990.
Tests carried out by Dr Matthew Ponting, from the University of Liver-pool,
revealed that the silver used to make the cross is of 19th-century origin.
The test, using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry
(ICP-AES), examined impurities in the metal. It also established that silver
used to make the cross and the pierced disc that bears the Chi-Rho
inscription comes from two sources.