Cross-slab

The National Monuments Service's description

Now missing, this cross-slab is reputedly from the graveyard known as Knockaunnamban (GA021-005----) on Omey Island. Drawings of it by C. Elcock in 1883 (SMR file) indicate that the slab was roughly cruciform in shape and that it was decorated on both faces. One face bore an expansional Greek cross with D-shaped terminals. A central roundel was notched to form a cross with round-ended expanded arms and a superimposed linear cross with bar terminals. The other face had an equal-armed Greek cross with widely curved terminals on the arms and head, while that at the end of the shaft was D-shaped (Fisher 2014, 226, no. 64, Figs. 64a, 64b). White Marshall and Rourke (2000, 160, Fig. 126) noted that this cross-slab was very similar to those on High Island, particularly the cross-slab (GA021-026007-) at the holy well (GA120-026006-), suggesting that they were made by the same craftsman or that this cross-slab was removed from High Island at some point. (Wakeman 1891, 354, Fig. 32, Pl. I; Higgins 1987, vol. II, 299-300, no. 28)

Compiled by: Olive Alcock

Date of upload: 8 April 2016

References

Wakeman, W.F. 1891 On the earlier forms of inscribed Christian crosses found in Ireland. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 21, 350-58.

SMR file - Sites and monuments record files in the National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Higgins, J.G. 1987 The Early Christian cross slabs, pillar stones and related monuments of County Galway, Ireland, 2 vols. British Archaeological Reports, International Series 375. Oxford.

Fisher, I. (revised by Scally, G. and Maddern, C.) 2014 Catalogue of cross-slabs. In G. Scally, High Island (Ardoileán), Co. Galway: Excavation of an early medieval monastery. Archaeological Monograph Series 10. Dublin. The Stationery Office.

White Marshall, J. and Rourke, G.D. 2000 High Island: an Irish monastery in the Atlantic. Dublin. Town House and Country House.