The Agate

Agate

Agate is a microcrystalline variety of silica, chiefly chalcedony, characterised by its fineness of grain and brightness of color. Although agates may be found in various kinds of rock, they are classically associated with volcanic rocks and can be common in certain metamorphic rocks.-Etymology...

 bowl (German: Achatschale) is a of the Habsburg

Habsburg

The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...

 family relic. The bowl originates from the 4th century, probably from Trier

Trier

Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....

 or Constantinople

Constantinople

Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...

. It is 58 to 58.5 cm in diameter. The span across the handles is 76 cm. It is cut from a single block of hardstone and is the largest gemmoglyptic (carved-stone) bowl in the world.

From the 17th to the 20th century, there were descriptions of an inscription "B.XRISTO.RI.XXPP", which was seen as a reference to Jesus Christ. Since the writing seemed to be neither painted nor carved in the bowl, but to appear in the natural veining of the stone itself, the Agate bowl was regarded a relic. It was even considered to be the Holy Grail

Holy Grail

The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...

.

After the relic had an restoration

Antiques restoration

Antiques restoration refers to either the practice of "restoration"- restoring an antique or work of art to a like-new condition , or "conservation"- the practice of preserving an antique or work of art against further deterioration.-Restoration:Restoration can be as simple as light cleaning to...

 in 1951, the inscription was reinterpreted by art historian Rudolf Egger to read "ARISTO", the name of the stone cutter.
There are also concerns that the inscription is in fact an optical deception.

In 1564, the sons of Emperor Ferdinand I

Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor

Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...

 agreed that the Agate bowl, together with the Ainkhürn, a narwhale tusk considered to be the horn of a unicorn, should be an inalienable heirloom, owned not by one member of the family, but by the House of Habsburg as a whole.