Cross-slab

The National Monuments Service's description

Described by Herity (1995, 98, No. 05) as follows: ‘Slab, 42cm tall, 26cm wide and 7cm thick, with gabled apex and cross-motifs carved on both broad faces, standing earthfast close to the well-house on its north-east side.
Face A (north-east): Filling most of the face of this slab is an elaborate wreathed chi-rho symbol, 42.5cm tall and 26.5cm across the arms, carved in double outline. The rho is marked by a rounded hook to the right at the top of the stem and a less developed hook to the left which ends with an elongated descender which stands out boldly in relief. The quadrants of the wreath do not describe a complete circle; each is apparently carved independently and has a somewhat rectilinear outline.
Face B (south-west): Near the apex an incised equal-armed cross, 17cm tall by 15cm across the arms, with expanded T-bar terminals on all limbs stands at the centre of an incised circle, 21.5 to 23cm in diameter.’ (Walsh 1983, 61 (B), Fig. 21,b,c)

Compiled by: Paul Walsh

Date of upload: 2 February 2014

Image DG089-018018-_01 (taken 21 July 1983): Face A.

References

Walsh, P. 1983 The monastic settlement on Rathlin O'Birne Island, County Donegal. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 113, 53-66.

Herity, M. 1995 Two Island Hermitages in the Atlantic: Rathlin O'Birne, Donegal, and Caher Island, Mayo. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 125, 85-128.