A Romanesque Processional Cross

Abstract

In the Museum of Historic Art in Princeton is a Romanesque copper gilt processional cross (Figs. 1 and 2);¹ according to the dealer from whom it was bought, it came from Belluno, Italy. On the arms of the front (Fig. 1) of the cross are the incised figures of the Virgin, the Archangel Michael, Saint John and Adam. The ornament consists of a ribbon border, unfinished except at the lower right-hand side of the vertical arm, a background of small punched circles and a cross composed of rosettes and terminating in a geometrical decoration. The abbreviated names of the figures represented are inscribed on the arms; and above the cross of rosettes occurs the inscription IHC NAZAREN REX IVDEORVM in two lines. The crucifix is missing from the front but two different sets of holes indicate that the cross has had two bodies of Christ in its history. One of these sets is plugged, and it is this plugged set which undoubtedly was made for the original corpus, which in size and position (as indicated by the holes) must have harmonized with the design of the whole cross. It appears that this crucifix was lost, and so a second set of holes, still plainly visible, was made for a body too small for the cross and without reference to the engraving, since the holes are bored brusquely through conspicuous parts of the design. The hole for the feet, for example, pierces the cheek of the symbol of St. Matthew on the back of the cross.