{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O131047"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O131047/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O131047","accessionNumber":"M.85-1917","objectType":"Cross","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Many small crosses have been found in early Christian burial sites in Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Asia minor. Some are made of precious materials, the majority however are made of less costly materials, such as bronze, wood and bone. Crosses such as the present example, continued a well established tradition of amulet wearing popular within the preceding Roman and Egyptian empires. Crosses served both as personal jewellery and as pendants which served to ward off evil. In their burial context they signify the faith of the wearer and their hopes for a Christian afterlife.","physicalDescription":"Cross, bronze; cast in low relief with a crucifix and busts of the four Evangelists. A Greek cross with the arms spreading to terminate in in four terminal medallions, which enclose the busts. The Christ is robed with IC above his head.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bronze","id":"AAT10957"}],"techniques":[{"text":"casting","id":"AAT53104"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bronze, cast","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Death","id":"THES48970"},{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"012","id":"THES407835"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Cross","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Egypt","id":"x29512"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"5th century to 7th century","earliest":"0400-01-01","latest":"0600-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Harold Wallis, esq.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"7.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"6.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"0.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured 2006","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Given by Harold Wallis from the Henry Wallis Collection","historicalContext":"Many small crosses have been found in early Christian burial sites in Syria, Palestine,  Egypt and Asia minor. Some are made of precious materials,  the majority however are made of less costly materials, such as bronze, wood and bone. Crosses such as the present example, continued a well established tradition of amulet wearing popular within the preceeding Roman and Egyptian empires. Crosses served both as personal jewellery and as pendants with an apotropaic function. In their burial context they signify the faith of the wearer and their hopes for a Christian afterlife.\r\n\r\nChristianity arrived in Egypt from Judea. It probably first came into Alexandria, which was both an intellectual centre and the home of a large Jewish community. Christianity was heavily persecuted in the third century AD, but was widely accepted by the end of the fourth century. The Christian church within Egypt was known as the Coptic church, from a corruption of the Greek word for Egyptians, Aiguptioi. The term 'Coptic period' is a very approximate one; it may be thought of as running from the third century AD until around the time of the visible decline of Christianity in the ninth century AD. It is roughly equivalent to the Byzantine period elsewhere in the Mediterranean world.","briefDescription":"Cross, cast bronze, 5th to 7th century, Egyptian","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"christ","id":"N1515"},{"text":"The Evangelists","id":"N832"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.85-1917"],"accessionNumberNum":"85","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1917,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LW6357"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-21","recordCreationDate":"2007-01-25","availableToBook":true}}