Reliquary Cross (London)
The reliquary cross is a 10th century crucifix from England . It is made of cedar wood and covered with artistically decorated sheet gold . A figure of Christ made of walrus tooth is attached to it. The cross is 18.5 centimeters tall and contained a female index finger. The place of origin is unknown. The cross is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London .
The cross was probably made in England in the 10th century. The gold processing shows clear German Ottonian influences. The Christ figure is Anglo-Saxon , with similarities to the Winchester style . The cross is one of the few surviving testimonies of Anglo-Saxon art before the Norman conquest.
Web links
- Reliquary Cross on Collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum