A 500-year-old man in a cap was found in the center of Moscow

In Krestovozdvizhensky Lane, archaeologists discovered a painted white clay figurine of the 16th century, reported Telegram channel Mosgornasledie.

This is a man in a hat with his arms outstretched forward. During this New Year’s season, it seems that the toy looks like a snowman. Did children build snowmen five centuries ago? Without a doubt. But experts are inclined to believe that this is still a little man, and not a snowy New Year’s character. Moreover, the toy was loved – the painting was very worn out, the child did not have it lying around.

The figurine is distinguished by detailed work. This is important because masters usually depicted hands schematically, without giving them much importance. Here you can also see traces of separately sculpted fingers and outstretched palms, which seem to be hugging something.

Now the toy and other finds are being restored, after which they will be transferred to museums. Last year, 320 artifacts were found in the area.

According to chronicles, in the 16th century there was a wooden church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on this site. After the fire of 1547, the church was rebuilt in stone, and later a monastery of the same name was founded in the north of the site. The new Holy Cross Monastery subsequently gave its name to Vozdvizhenka Street.

In 1812, the monastery served as a billet for French soldiers. Although the buildings were not damaged by the fire, the monastery was looted and desecrated. Church services resumed, but soon they decided to abolish the monastery and make the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross a parish church.

This is not the only toy found in Moscow during the last archaeological season. “Rodina” talked about how children’s ceramic toys of the 16th-19th centuries were discovered in Kaloshin Lane. Among them are a ceramic conik, a chicken and the head of a figurine of a man in a cap.