Early Christian Bronze Altar Cross (Cross Appliqué) - Eastern Roman/Byzantine
c. 7th – 10th Century AD - Fine condition with dark green patina with brown overtones.
(175 x 126 mm – 6 ¾ x 5”)
A substantial large early Christian cross appliqué of Latin form, crafted of bronze with an incised design consisting of stippled dots along the periphery of the cross and circles at each of the eight termini. There are eight holes for affixing this rare object, likely to the front of a church altar.
By the 5th and 6th centuries, the Cross had replaced the Chi-Rho as the standard emblem of Christian religious devotion. Its meaning transcended that of the simple monogram to visually recall the crucifixion. Crosses were worn by individuals from every social stratum, from the elaborate bejeweled golden cross of the patriarch to the simple crosses of the common man. The word crusade, which is derived from the Latin crux (cross), is a reference to the biblical injunction that Christians carry their cross. Crusaders wore a red cross sewn on their tunics to indicate they had assumed the cross and were soldiers of Christ.
