Artwork Page for Fish Gem

Details / Information for Fish Gem

Fish Gem

c. 250–350 CE

Syria(?) or Anatolia, early Christian

Medium
rock crystal
Measurements
Overall: 3.5 x 7.5 cm (1 3/8 x 2 15/16 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1954.592
Public Domain
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Location
104 Late Antiquity
Print

Description

To avoid punishment, early Christians practiced their faith in secret. Images of fish were part of a code developed to refer to Jesus Christ. To those in the know, the Greek word for fish (ICHTHYS), was an acronym for the phrase Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter which translates as Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.

Fish Gem

c. 250–350 CE

Syria(?) or Anatolia, early Christian

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