{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O108690"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O108690/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AW2948/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AW2948/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AW2948","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AW2947","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AB8287","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AB8286","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O108690/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O108690","accessionNumber":"M.25-2005","objectType":"Cross","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This silver processional cross was looted from Maqdala by British troops in April 1868. It was placed on loan at the South Kensington museum (later renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum) by the Lords of the Admiralty in 1868, along with an Ethiopian shield (M.24-2005).\n\nCrosses have always played an important role as symbols of resurrection and life in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.","physicalDescription":"Processional cross. At the top is a representation of God, the Father, framed by four Apostles. The Ascension of Mary is depicted in the centre of the cross. On the right side is Mary and Jesus, accompanied by the Archangels Michael (right) and Gabriel (left). The left side shows the Dormition of Mary (above) and her entombment (below), between which is David playing his harp. At lower left is Saint George slaying the dragon to save the princess Cleodolinda, the latter known in Ethiopia as Brituwit (i.e. from Beirut). The inverted arch supporting the cross normally would have a depiction of Christ but in this case, and very unusually, the Devil is profiled and the singular eye both identifying him and representing evil.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraved","id":"AAT53829"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Engraved silver","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AW2948","2006AW2947","2006AB8287","2006AB8286"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"83","id":"THES49711"},"free":"","case":"CA6B","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Processional cross","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Gondar","id":"x39212"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1831-1839","earliest":"1831-01-01","latest":"1839-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"63.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"46.5cm","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"5.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"<u>Provenance</u>: Looted at Maqdala, Ethiopia, 1868. Deposited on loan at the South Kensington Museum by the Lords of the Admiralty, 1868; formally accessioned into the V&amp;A collection in 2005 in accordance with the 1983 National Heritage Act.\r\n\r\nThis silver processional cross from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church was brought to Britain as a result of the 1867-8 British Expedition to Ethiopia, a pivotal episode in both British and Ethiopian history that culminated in the death of Emperor Tewodros II, the destruction of his fortress at Maqdala, and the looting of vast quantities of Ethiopian material culture by the British Army.\n\nIn 1863, Tewodros took hostage around thirty European diplomats and missionaries stationed in Ethiopia. He took this action after letters he had written to Queen Victoria in 1857 and 1862, requesting military assistance from Britain, had gone unanswered. Following failed diplomatic attempts to secure the release of the hostages, a large-scale British military expedition was launched from Bombay in October 1867. The expedition was led by General Sir Charles Robert Napier, and comprised around 12,000 British and Indian troops.\n\r\nOn 10th April 1868, a brutal battle took place between the Emperor's troops and the British army at Arogee, a plateau below Maqdala. The British army very quickly overwhelmed Tewodros’ soldiers with enormous firepower that resulted in heavy Ethiopian casualties. On 13 April, Napier’s forces launched the final attack on Maqdala that saw Tewodros’ armies entirely defeated. The Emperor took his own life.\n\r\nThe British Army then proceeded to ransack the fortress and the surrounding area, where they found many Ethiopian manuscripts, sacred objects and other valuable items. The loot from Maqdala was transported to the Talanta Plain around ten miles away, where the army’s ‘prize’ auction took place a week later.\n\r\nThe cross was placed on loan at the South Kensington museum (later renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum) by the Lords of the Admiralty in 1868, along with an Ethiopian shield (M.24-2005)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Processional cross of engraved silver, Gondar, Ethiopia, 1831-1839","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Jesus Christ","id":"N1515"},{"text":"God","id":"N809"},{"text":"Virgin Mary","id":"N480"},{"text":"Michael (Archangel)","id":"N899"},{"text":"Gabriel (Angel)","id":"N491"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[{"text":"Looting of Maqdala (1868)","id":"V92"},{"text":"1867-8 British Expedition to Ethiopia (1/10/1867 - 13/5/1868)","id":"AUTH407033"}],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Ethiopian Processional Cross\r\nThis cross comes from the Ethiopian Orthodox church, where crosses have always played an important role as symbols of resurrection and life. In 1868 it was taken by British troops at the siege of Maqdala (Magdala or Mek'dala). The same year, the Lords of the Admiralty placed it on loan at the South Kensington Museum (later renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum).\r\n\r\nThe Ethiopian church was part of the Coptic church until 1959, when it became fully independent.\r\n\r\nGondar, Ethiopia, 1600-1800\r\nSilver\r\nLoan: A.2 [now M.25-2005]","date":{"text":"22/11/2005","earliest":"2005-11-22","latest":"2005-11-22"}}],"partNumbers":["M.25-2005"],"accessionNumberNum":"25","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":2005,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Previous loan number","id":"THES50326"},"number":"LOAN:ADMIRALTY.2"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-11","recordCreationDate":"2005-01-24","availableToBook":false}}