Cross of Scriptures XP52

Welcome to the Celtic High Cross Collection by Ogham. Each cross is a miniature work of art and is an authentic copy back and front of the east and west side of the original cross.

Each Celtic Cross is handcrafted in our workshop by our master Goldsmiths who have taken great care to reproduce the detail and originality of these ancient monuments.

Each cross is hall marked by the Company of Goldsmiths in Dublin Castle, an independent stage appointed body that authenticates the precious metal content of each piece. Together with the maker's mark this is your guarantee of premium quality.

A little book, included with each cross, will provide you with the background history and folklore associated with each of the Crosses.

The city of the seven churches, Clonmacnoise, was founded by St Ciaran in 548 AD and lasted a thousand years. Today it is a quiet ruined abbey, but at its full flowering it was a bustling important center, a university city on a major Irish highway - the River Shannon.

Clonmacnoise was a center of classical and religious learning, of art, calligraphy, design, and of gold and silver craftsmanship. Kuno Meyer, the German Scholar who was professor of Irish at the University of Liverpool at the turn of this century, wrote of this period that 'Ireland drew upon herself the attention of the whole world as the great seminary of Christian and classical learning'. Clonmacnoise grey and prospered and by 800 AD a  Gaelic poet was writing :
Ailill the king is vanished,
Vanished Croghan's fort,
Kings to Clonmacnoise now,
Come to pay their court little places taken,
First by twos and threes,
Are like Rome reborn,
Peopled sanctuaries.
(Translation Frank O'Connor 'Kings, Lords and Common'. New York 1959)

It was around this time that the Cross of the Scriptures was carved and erected. It has elaborate carvings both of Scriptural and contemporary scenes as well as animals and birds. One panel on the East face shows and ecclesiastic and a warrior with a sword and between them a staff with leaves or flowers. It is intriguing to think that this may depict St. Ciaran's staff, and that the panel may be showing 'a swearing on the staff', a custom which is known to have existed but the details of which are lost.

The Last Judgement is shown at the center on the East face, and on the West face, the Crucifixion. There is a lovely touch at the bottom of the West shaft where there is a panel showing Our Lord's body in the tomb. Two snoozing soldiers are sitting on the tomb while in Our Lord's mouth a small bird breaths life - a symbol of His imminent resurrection.

Sterling silver pendant and chain made in Ireland.

Pendant come with 22' chain.

Cross of Scriptures XP52