Cross-inscribed pillar

The National Monuments Service's description

On the SW side of a holy well (SL038-120002-) and in the SE portion of a stepped barrow (SL038-120001-). An upright roughly shaped sandstone pillar (H 0.54m; Wth 0.25m; T 0.17m) with a simple cross enclosed in a ring incised on its NE face. The pillar narrows to 0.22m in width from slightly below its centre. The ring (Wth 0.25m; H 0.26m) encompasses the full width of the pillar, a double line forming the top and a single line the sides and base. The cross extends to the full width and height of the ring. Four evenly spaced linear incisions (H 0.04m) project from the upper edge of each arm of the cross. A tiny circular depression (diam. c. 15mm) flanks the shaft of the cross within the upper half of the ring. Crawford (1908, 182) has noted that this slab was brought to the Dublin Exhibition in 1907. (Wood-Martin 1892, 371; Herity, Kelly and Mattenberger 1997, 121; M. B. Timoney 1997, 4).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005).

Date of upload: 18 January 2008

References

Crawford, H.S. 1913 A descriptive list of early cross-slabs and pillars. (cont.) Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 43, 151-69, 261-5, 326-34.

Herity, M., Kelly, D. and Mattenberger, U. 1997 List of Early Christian cross-slabs in seven north-western counties. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 127, 89-124.