Medium size brasses

St Andrews - megalithic (code celticcr7)

This is one of the older designs, found at a back cemetery lot at the ruins in St. Andrews, Scotland. The spiral is one of the oldest designs recorded. It was carved on cave walls and use extensively in megalithic cross slabs. Examples of this are found specifically on the Isle of Man, Reask, County Kerry in Ireland and many of the very ancient stones. The outer ring of the cross holds symbols that date back to the 4th millennium in Ireland. The curved, snake-line, figure is translated into the number 3 - the assumption being that it is a Trinity sign. The lower design is a Stafford knot (also a sign of the Trinity with its three sides) in a double row. We also found this cross in Ireland.

Measures approximately 10" x 12" ((25cm x 30cm)

Mull - knot (code celticcr8)

This cross if from the island of Mull at Fionnphort. Fionnphort is the last stop on your journey to the Holy Island of Iona which was founded by St. Columba in 563 AD. It is very unique in its design having the ring, which is usually on the outside of the cross shape, actually going to the interior of the cross. Our assumption is that the outside ring and the two inner rings are there for a sign of the Trinity. The centre shape is very old, being found at Clonmacnois, Ireland and Tynan. It is a frequently used knotwork on bosses, half spheres carved on crosses. The gravestone belongs to a man who was the minister to the island of Iona for 40 years.

Measures approximately 10" x 12" ((25cm x 30cm)

Lindisfarne (code celticcr9)

This cross is from the graveyard on the island of Lindisfarne. The monastery was establish by Aidan of Iona in 635 AD by invitation of King Ethelfrith who had returned from exile. Aidan was a practical man who believed that people should be fed before they were taught.

This cross contains both ancient and new Celtic designs. The knotwork is in the form of a Stafford knot (generally considered to be a sign of the Trinity). The circles are actually raised half-sphere called bosses. These are found on many Celtic crosses. The grave is located next to the church at the ruins.

Lindisfarne is a unique island in that it becomes isolated when the tide comes in. If you don't get off the island before tide, you are going to spend the night or swim!

Measures approximately 10" x 12" ((25cm x 30cm

Stirling - Christian (code celticcl 10)

This cross is found in Stirling, Scotland. If you visit the castle and miss the graveyard below you are missing the most beautiful part of Stirling. The graveyard is extraordinary. As described above, the early crosses were in circular, equal-armed, proportions. This cross features numerous examples of classic early Christian art. The centre cross shape was taken from the chi-rho (x and p shapes) used in the earliest Christian art. St. Ninian carved this shape into the walls of a cave where he went to pray and fast. The edges are usually more curved than is present on this design. The knotwork is called the Stafford knot, accepted as a sign of the Trinity. It is found extensively through early Christian manuscripts, carvings and drawings.

Measures approximately 10" x 12" ((25cm x 30cm)

Melrose (code celticcl 11)

This cross is found in Melrose, Scotland. If you look beyond the ring to the four outer designs and then look inward from the ring you will be able to see the circular cross that St. Ninian drew on the cave walls at Whitby, Scotland (earliest monastic site). The four outer sections contain little bosses, half-spheres. The ring of the cross contains the elaborate knotwork, which is comprised of 4 lines, unbroken, and weaving in and out of each other. Again, the above definition of the unbroken line would apply here. The centre design takes the classic Pictish loop seen in the Monymusk Reliquary, the Book of Kell, and also carvings on sheep bones in Ireland, and moves it on into knotwork around the x shaped knots as seen in St. Bridget's cross. It is a fascinating use of ancient styles into a new work of art.

Measures approximately 10" x 12" ((25cm x 30cm)

Stirling Trinity (code celticcl 12)

This cross is found in Stirling, Scotland within a large, beautiful graveyard next to the castle, but on a lower level. Many people miss it. This cross is nestled in vines up against the wall facing the castle. Although the cross is limited in its space for knotwork, the tightly woven lines often symbolize the weaving of cloth. The end knot is a Stafford knot, symbolizing the Trinity. The shape of the knotwork is that of the earliest crosses drawn by St. Ninian on cave walls at Whitby, Scotland - the first monastery on the British Isles. The three overlapping circles on the ring of the cross are another Trinity sign. This is also found in Ireland, and could be assumed as a shamrock shape however we feel the Trinity sign is the most likely.

Measures approximately 10" x 12" ((25cm x 30cm)

Sterling (code celticcl6)

This cross if located at Blair Logie, which is just outside of Stirling, Scotland. The local Kirk members relate the following story: The lord of the land had the church in his walled compound. He hated having the peasants coming to the church all the time, so he banished them from "his" church and told them to build a church of their own. They did, and to this day it still stands. It's graveyard is beautiful with many Celtic cross stones in it. As you look out further, beyond the graveyard, you can see the ruined church of the lord of the land. His graveyard is unkempt and has gravestones with little or no design work on them as this was well before the Celtic Revival when most of the lovely gravestones were designed.

The centre of this cross is shaped in the style of the crosses on the early stones of Clonmacnois, Ireland, having a Stafford knot on the end of them. The triangle, other than having three sides (Trinity) and being a Greek number, is probably there to fill in the space. The outer ring -the four knotworks- are two Stafford knots turned different directions. They are each continuous lines that symbolizes man being tied to earth where only a break in the line can release him.

Measures approximately 10" x 12" ((25cm x 30cm)

Orkney (code celticcl5)

This is a lovely cross from the Orkney Island off the northeastern coast of Scotland. It is on the island of Mainland at Kirkwall. Several miles out of town there is an ornate graveyard that is full of delightful crosses. This cross is in the first Celtic cross shape of the Greek proportioned, equal-armed, crosses. The characteristic ring as a halo shape around the cross has been moved to the inside. You will find the Stafford knot that becomes an equal-armed cross in many historic carvings such as the ones on Iona and Cordonagh, County Donegal, Ireland. The four independent designs are modifications of knotwork found on the upright cross slab in Meigle, Tayside. It is from the Pictish school of art. If turned on its side and condensed a little more, it becomes the woven shape of St. Bridget's cross.

Measures approximately 10" x 12" ((25cm x 30cm)

Kelso (code celticcl4)

This cross is from Kelso, Scotland. It stands on a long shaft, as did the earliest of circular Celtic crosses. The ring on the cross, which is a defining part of a Celtic cross, is thought to be a combination of Druid sun/moon worship and Christianity. The cross section is shaped in the earliest cross form of an X turned on its side. Drawings of this shape were in the earliest monasteries on the British Isles. The half-circle in the arms of the cross are Stafford knots, symbolizing the Trinity. The Stafford knots are bound together by another knot that goes to the centre of the cross and makes a double swastika coming out of the rings. The swastika shape was in the earliest Pictish art, coming from the spiral. The lines coming from the centre of the spiral then began to be squared off and the four right angles coming from a centre point became a new design. Although these angles do not actually join in the centre (that would break a cardinal rule of Celtic art-having an open centre point) the appearance still remains.

Measures approximately 10" x 12" ((25cm x 30cm)

Mull (code celticcr3)

This cross can be found at a graveyard just outside of Fionnphort on the island of Mull. This cross shows the classic "rope" design in the ring, which George Bain calls the Highland Dirk Handle. The squaring off of the rounded edges usually associated with knotwork comes from two sources. The early spiral (earliest design of Irish art) often was squared. Also, as Vikings conquered the lands you find that the rounded edges are often squared off more. This piece, although from the Celtic Revival period, shows many old knotwork styles, i.e. Stafford knot. It is a beautiful combination of both old and new explorations of art.

Measures approximately 10" x 12" ((25cm x 30cm)

Dundee (code celticcr2)

This cross is from Dundee in Scotland. The graveyard there is extremely interesting with a mixture of toppled slab gravestones and large, intricately designed crosses. Some of the larger, cross-shaped monuments were leaning at an angle too. Coming from the Celtic Revival school, this cross contains loops, rope, bosses and many variations on the knotwork theme. The simple loop becomes a variation on the spiral design (earliest Irish art). The loop design is then taken from the centre circle to new levels in the rest of the cross. The loops are used so much that the cross almost takes on a "flower petal" look - the exception being the centre of the bottom panels, which reverses to a standard Stafford knot variation. This cross was erected in 1912.

Measures approximately 10" x 12" ((25cm x 30cm)

St Andrews (code celticcr1)

This cross was erected in 1871 at St. Andrews, Scotland. Similar crosses can be found all over Scotland and Ireland. The entire cross contains Stafford knots that are generally considered to be a sign of the Trinity. The design is frequently used for an interlacing border. The outside ring is a wonderful key pattern from the Pictish school of art. This design is found in almost every culture. Europeans were amazed to find it in the Mayan temples in Central America. American Indians used it extensively in their artwork. The early Picts started the design from spirals, squaring them off and then extending them in a line. This is also a very common design used in labyrinths.

This beautiful Celtic Cross is set on a mahogany look-a-like background. This textured piece looks and feels just like brass set on wood. (The wonder of resin!) The brass can be used for rubbing and has a felt backing to prevent surfaces from being scratched. It has also been fitted with a 'euroslot' to enable wall fixing if preferred.

Measures approximately 10" x 12" ((25cm x 30cm)