Early Christian Silver Cross
Eastern Roman/Byzantine
c. 5th – 6th Century AD
Front: Decorated with five raised “Magic Eye” designs composed of small circles.
Back: Undecorated.
40 x 28 mm – 1.5 x 1.1”
Weight: 6.1 gm
This design is from the early Byzantine era in the Holy Land. The “eyes” at the center and four arms of the cross represent the “Stigmata”, the five wounds of Christ. An elegant and well-crafted artifact in excellent condition with burial patina, retaining its suspension loop. Uncommon design, and silver pectoral crosses of this time period are many times scarcer than bronze ones.
For other small pectoral crosses with stigmata design see The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, catalog “The Cradle of Christianity,” page 140-142.
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. Many also wore a pectoral cross around their neck.
