Cross

The National Monuments Service's description

A late medieval carving of the Crucifixion on a cross was affixed to the top of the decorated lintel (DU002-002006-) near the remains of the late-medieval manor church (DU002-002002-) at Bremore. In 2009, this cross was taken into storage at Ardgillan Castle (DU005-078----). A photograph of the monument taken by Patrick Healy in 1985 (https://source.southdublinlibraries.ie/handle/10599/3599) shows the carving of a small Latin Cross with Crucified Jesus carved in relief, long outstretched arms with hands nailed to the cross, wearing a loincloth or perizoma around his waist with overlapping feet resting on the top of the skull of Adam. I N R I acronym incised into the top of the cross above the head of Jesus.  The face of Jesus appears to be damaged.  INRI is a Latin acronym for Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum, which translates to "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews". According to Jewish traditions, Golgotha or Calvary was the place where the skull of Adam was buried. The Crucified Jesus was sometimes referred to as ‘The Second Adam’ who died to live, in contrast to the First Adam who lived to die.  According to the Oxford Dictionary of Christian Art and Architecture, the term 'Calvary was a Latinized form of the Hebrew Golgotha meaning ‘[place of] a skull’.  It is recorded as the site of the Crucifixion as Calvary by Luke and as Golgotha by the other evangelists. The original of the name is not clear, but from early times it was regarded as the burial place of Adam's skull, so that Christ's blood shed on it would bring redemption to the human race' (Jones et. al. 2013, 92). Cross-referenced with DU005-078----.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

References

Murray, P. & L & Jones T.D. (ed.) 2013 The Oxford Dictionary of Christian Art and Architecture. Oxford University Press.