Object Details
- Ethiopian Orthodox
- Label Text
- Christianity has a long history in Ethiopia, dating from its introduction in Aksum under the reign of King Azana in about A.D. 330. Its spread among the peoples of the highlands, and the arrival of nine monks from Syria toward the end of the fifth century, is said to have introduced monasticism to Ethiopia and to have contributed strongly to the production and use of liturgical objects.
- The cross is perhaps the most pervasive symbolic artifact. Every member of the clergy carries a cross at all times. The most beautiful and intricate are the processional crosses used in ceremonies and festivals throughout the liturgical calendar. They are mounted on long poles and sheltered by canopies and parasols of silk and velvet.
- This cross, dating from the 14th to 15th century, was cast in one piece from a copper alloy. Later crosses, for which the favored material was brass, typically have separate arms and shafts joined with rivets. This cross has a design characteristic of those found in the monolithic churches at Lalibela in North Central Ethiopia. The overall shape is circular, finished with a fringe of triangles. The interior portion is composed of Latin crosses within crosses.
- Description
- Cast copper alloy cross with a central four-cross openwork design encircled by openwork triangular patterns. A hollow tubular shaft would have fit over the end of a pole to be carried aloft during religious processionals.
- Provenance
- Rémy Audouin collection, Paris, 1980 to 1997
- Exhibition History
- Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa's Arts, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 4, 2017-ongoing
- Published References
- Kreamer, Christine Mullen. 2012. African Cosmos: Stellar Arts. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution; New York: Monacelli Press, p. 165, no. 8.8.
- National Museum of African Art. 1999. Selected Works from the Collection of the National Museum of African Art. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, p. 159, no. 115.
- Content Statement
- As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
- Image Requests
- High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
- Credit Line
- Museum purchase
- 14th-15th century
- Object number
- 97-19-1
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Type
- Sculpture
- Medium
- Copper alloy
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 30.9 x 23.2 x 2.5 cm (12 3/16 x 9 1/8 x 1 in.)
- Geography
- Ethiopia
- See more items in
- National Museum of African Art Collection
- Exhibition
- Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa's Arts
- On View
- NMAfA, Second Level Gallery (2193)
- National Museum of African Art
- Topic
- Male use
- cross
- male
- Record ID
- nmafa_97-19-1
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys79db62b1e-b27c-43cb-b698-e44ed2b25cab
