Irish High Crosses

Iconography

       

       As was previously stated, the Irish high crosses were painted with vibrant colors to represent the illuminated gospels. All the high crosses represent Christian themes whether through scenes of the Bible, through icons associated with Christianity, or through Christian saints. Some of the religious iconography found on the crosses carries a postdate with it. Comparing twelfth century high crosses to those of the eighth and tenth centuries, Scanlan-Teller claims that “their iconography is fundamentally different and novel.” She continues by saying, “The choice to represent bishops on monuments made for new episcopal centers.” [1] Eighth through tenth century high cross imagery, similar to the imagery found in the Book of Kells, focused on scenes from the Bible and symbols of Christianity like the fish or the lion. By the twelfth century, high cross imagery had expanded to include images of bishops and saints. Despite a slight difference in image iconography over these later centuries, the basic shape of the high cross remained the same. Some scholars suggest that the ring that supports the top of the high crosses has connections to the older pagan icon for the sun. Other scholars, offended by the idea of mixing pagan icons with the cross, say that the ring may be a symbol of triumph, specifically Christ’s crucifixion halo in his triumph over sin. Either way, the high crosses are loaded with symbolism, both Christian and pagan, that reveals so much about medieval Irish culture and compares to other equally famous medieval icons.

 

 

 

[1] Audrey Scanlan-Teller, Bishops, Abbots, Kings, and Crosses: Twelfth-century Irish High Crosses in Munster as Monuments of Ecclesiastical Reform, Vol. 1 (Online: Audrey Scanlan-Teller, 2004), xx, ProQuest Ebrary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                         -Twelfth century high crosses-

 

 

Background Image: John Caplis Photography: High Crosses of Clonmacnoise