Golgotha Cross, Handmade in Nickel Plated Bronze, Inlaid With Ebony Mid 18th Century, Cast Silver Corpus Christi, 9 x 5.5 Centimetres

Golgotha Cross, Handmade in Nickel Plated Bronze, Inlaid With Ebony Mid 18th Century, Cast Silver Corpus Christi, 9 x 5.5 Centimetres

This is an absolutely beautiful example of a mid to late 19th century Golgotha crucifix. As you can see from the photographs the bail is pierced from the front and not the side. This means that this beautiful crucifix was not made to wear around the waist or the neck. It was made for the family of a wealthy Christian and it would have been attached to the casket of a loved one and just before internment it would have been presented to the family and then hung in pride of place in the family home, usually above the mantle-piece.

The inlay is ebony and on the reverse is a wreath with the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the centre.

All of these old inlaid crucifixes from this period were made by hand and usually you can still see the grinding and file marks which are clearly evident at the top of the crucifix on its bail and on its sides. It is made from bronze which has been nickel plated.

This one is very unusual as it is made with arrowed points as opposed to the normal square.

The hill where Christ was crucified was called the hill of Golgotha or Golgotha (The Place of the Skull) long before the time of Christ. The ancients, the Jews believed it was called Golgotha because this was where the skull of Adam was buried. This tradition of Adam's skull became known as The Place of the Skull. This is depicted by the skull and crossbones which adorns the foot of this cross.

This exceptional piece measures 9 cm by 5.5 centimetres