This large 12th century stone tablet was unearthed in Ankara, Turkey, carved
by one of a group of Crusading brothers sworn to protect the Cup of Christ.
The top portion is missing, leaving a cryptic message vaguely pointing to
the final resting place of the Holy Grail.
Every
letter of this reproduction was carefully compared to the original prop and
translated to insure accuracy. This prop replica was cast in a special mixture
of resin and sand, giving it the look and feel of real sandstone. It has a
foam core, cutting it's potential weight in half, but leaving it heavy enough
to feel like the real thing. It is finished in several layers of paint and
finally aged with a brown acrylic wash.
I've also recreated the missing top portion, cast in plaster, which shows
the name of the city Alexandretta, the key to the "map with no names".