Found gold ring with Jesus as the Good Shepherd, dates back to Roman times

Israeli researchers yesterday, Wednesday 22 December, unveiled a gold ring from the Roman era with an early Christian symbol of Jesus engraved in its precious stone, found off the coast ofancient port of Caesarea.

The thick gold octagonal ring with its green gem shows the figure of the "Good Shepherd”In the form of a young shepherd boy in a tunic with a ram or sheep on his shoulders.

The ring was found between a treasure of Roman coins from the third century, plus a bronze eagle figurine, bells to ward off evil spirits, pottery and a Roman pantomimus figurine with a comic mask.

A red gemstone engraved with a lyre was also found in relatively shallow waters, as were the remains of the ship's wooden hull.

Caesarea was the local capital of the Roman Empire in the third century and its port was a key hub for the activity of Rome, second Helena Sokolov, curator of the monetary department of the IAA who studied the ring of the Good Shepherd.

Sokolov argued that while the image exists in early Christian symbolism, it represents Jesus as a caring shepherd, who cares for her flock and guides the needy, finding her on a ring is rare.

The presence of such a symbol on a ring probably owned by a Roman operating in or around Caesarea made sense, given the ethnically and religiously heterogeneous nature of the port in the third century, when it was one of the earliest centers of Christianity.

"This was a time when Christianity was only in its infancy, but definitely growing and developing, especially in mixed cities like Caesarea," the expert told AFP, noting that the ring was small and this implies that it could to have belonged to a woman.

Finally, the scholar recalled that the Roman Empire was relatively tolerant of new forms of worship, including that around Jesus, making it reasonable for a wealthy citizen of the empire to wear such a ring.