This time last year, the Vatican announced that it had discovered the oldest known icon of St. Paul in the catacombs of St. Tecla in Rome. Now, with the excavation of the tomb complete, they’ve discovered even more:
Vatican archaeologists announced the image of Paul was not found in isolation, but was part of a square ceiling painting that also included icons of three other apostles — Peter, John and Andrew — surrounding an image of Christ as the Good Shepherd.
“They are the first icons. These are absolutely the first representations of the apostles,” said Fabrizio Bisconti, the superintendent of archaeology for the catacombs.
The image above is of St. John — notable because he appears much younger here than how he was usually depicted in later iconography. Almost as incredible as the find itself is the manner in which researchers were able to uncover it:
The images . . . were uncovered using a new laser technique that allows restorers to burn off centuries of thick white calcium carbonate deposits without damaging the brilliant dark colors of the paintings underneath. . . .
The restorers were able to sear off all the deposits by setting the laser to burn only on the white of the calcium carbonate; the laser’s heat stopped when it reached a different color. Researchers then easily chipped off the seared material, revealing the brilliant ochre, black, green and yellow underneath, Mazzei said.
It’s a technique that could “revolutionize the way restoration work is carried out” in the catacombs, the article says. More finds like this, please!
[Image: AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito]
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