Cross-slab

The National Monuments Service's description

In the S half of the graveyard (GA021-026026-) on High Island, incorporated into the foundation stones of the external face of the E gable of the church (GA021-026014-). Recorded by Fisher (2014, 204, no. 8, Figs. 7.2, 7.12), this cross-slab (H 0.91m; Wth 0.73m; T 0.14m) of blue grey mica-schist formed the headstone of Grave 4, a dual-phased grave with a pre-church phase and a restructured phase contemporary with the church. It contained skeletal remains dating from the late 10th/early 11th century. The cross-slab is only decorated on its E face and almost the entire area is filled with an expansional cross in relief. Its D-shaped terminals extend to the edges of the slab except at the base where there is a margin. A bold band frames the central roundel and the terminals, the latter are filled with fretwork. There are four bosses in the quadrants of the cross. In the upper angles pairs of bosses are linked by C-scrolls or peltae. (White Marshall and Rourke 2000, 152, no. 19)

Compiled by: Olive Alcock

Date of upload: 19 November 2015

References

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.