{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O144664"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O144664/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AE9270/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AE9270/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AE9270","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AE9269","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O144664/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O144664","accessionNumber":"M.441-1936","objectType":"Cross","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This engraved iron Ethiopian handcross formerly belonged to Captain Tristram Charles Sawyer Speedy (1836-1910). It was donated to the Victoria and Albert Museum by his goddaughter in 1936. Speedy was an army officer and colonial official. In 1860 he travelled to Ethiopia to assist the emperor Tewodros II (Theodore) with military training. Speedy returned in 1868, this time as civilian interpreter to a British military expedition aimed at releasing British subjects held hostage by Tewodros. The expedition ended with the capture of the emperor's fortress at Maqdala (Magdala), but not before Tewodros had taken his own life. The following death of his wife, Queen Woyzaro Terunesh, left an orphan son, Prince Dejatch Alamayou, to whom the Amharic-speaking Captain became guardian. \r\n\r\nIt is unclear how Speedy acquired the cross. In the Ethiopian Orthodox church, crosses have always played an important role as symbols of resurrection and life. This cross would have been carried by a priest. It carries images of the Crucifixion and Ecce Homo on one face and the risen Christ and the Virgin and Child on the other.","physicalDescription":"Hand-cross. Engraved iron. Top formed of a cross patee surrounded by four crosses patonee and engraved on one side with a crucifix and on the other with the risen Christ.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"iron","id":"AAT11002"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraving","id":"AAT53829"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Engraved iron","categories":[{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"},{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AE9270","2006AE9269"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"024","id":"THES407958"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Cross","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Ethiopia","id":"x35090"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"before 1868","earliest":null,"latest":"1867-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs Henry Perrin","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"13.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"(at widest point)","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Accessions register entry: 'Hand-cross. Engraved iron. Abyssinian; 19th century. Top formed of a cross patee surrounded by four crosses patonee and engraved on one side with a crucifix and on the other with the risen Christ. Oblong stem engraved on the front with the Virgin and the Magdalen and on the back with an angel. At the bottom, between two crosses patonee is a square plate having on one side a bust of the Ecce Homo and on the other the Virgin and Child./ Gift. Mrs Henry Perrin, 23 Holland Villas Road, Kensington, W.14.'","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Handcross, engraved iron, Ethiopia, made before 1868","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Christ","id":"N1515"},{"text":"Virgin","id":"N4691"},{"text":"Mary Magdalen","id":"N482"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[{"text":"Siege of Maqdala","id":"V92"}],"contentOthers":[{"text":"angel","id":"x31516"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"This cross has engraved images on both sides. The images are European and were probably copied from prints. The side shows Christ crucified, with the Virgin and St Mary Magdalene in attendance below. At the bottom is Christ displaying his wounds, an image known as the 'Ecce Homo' (Behold the Man' in Latin).","date":{"text":"2010","earliest":"2010-01-01","latest":"2010-12-31"}},{"text":"<i>Maqdala 1868 </i>display, 5 April 2018 - 30 June 2019\r\n\r\nHand crosses\r\nየእጅ መስቀሎች\n\r\nEthiopian priests carry hand crosses like these and offer them to worshippers to kiss as a sign of devotion. Two of these examples were collected in Ethiopia by Captain Tristram Speedy, a British Army officer who was later appointed guardian to Emperor Tewodros’s orphaned son, Prince Alemayehu. The others were purchased by William Simpson, a war artist who provided sketches of the campaign for the Illustrated London News, as a souvenir during the army’s return journey to England.\n\r\nHand cross ｜ የእጅ መስቀል\r\nMade in Ethiopia, before 1868\r\nEngraved iron\r\nGiven by Mrs Henry Perrin\r\nMuseum no. M.441-1936\n\n<i>Owned and used by every Orthodox Christian priest to date, it gives me great pride and pleasure knowing the Ethiopian Orthodox Christians have been able to retain their heritage. The unique design of the cross from northern Ethiopia is greatly integrated throughout Ethiopian culture.</i>\n\r\n- Samuel Berhanu, artist and member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church","date":{"text":"5 April 2018 - 30 June 2019","earliest":"2018-04-05","latest":"2019-06-30"}}],"partNumbers":["M.441-1936"],"accessionNumberNum":"441","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1936,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-12","recordCreationDate":"2008-02-05","availableToBook":true}}