Antique/Vintage Ethiopian Latin Cross (E331)

Description

No other region has produced the quantity, quality and diversity as the Christian crosses from the Ethiopian Highlands in Africa, an area renowned for its unique African art and metalwork. The uniqueness of Ethiopian Crosses reflects influences of many ancient civilizations: Coptic, Celtic, Egyptian, Byzantine, Greek, and Roman. Ethiopia was the second country to make Christianity its official religion but remained isolated from Europe enabling the Ethiopian Orthodox Church to retain its early simplicity, purity, symbolism and practices of the earliest Christian culture’s.

This simple elegant Ethiopian Cross pendant is a Latin Cross with a horizontal bar crossing a vertical bar, the universal symbol of Christianity. Often crosses made prior to the 20th century in small villages by skilled local metal smiths were simpler, yet they are strikingly beautiful and powerful. The prominent flat outline of the bordered cross has rounded corners and is surmounted by a raised rounded cross in the center.

Using the lost wax technique with coin-silver, it is a one-of-a-kind pendant in very good condition with normal signs of wear consistent with age and use and a fine patina. An attached suspension-loop allows a chain or cord to be threaded through it. The coin silver chain is not included and may be purchased separately. Call 213-568-3030 or email [email protected] for chain options.

For information and bibliographic citations click here for the blog The Evolution and Brilliance of Ethiopian Crosses