Testament Of Faith

12 foot tall, buff millstone grit. Dated circa. 900 naming Flann Sinna, King of Ireland 879 – 916. Overall the monument can be described as a ringed cross with a house reliquary capstone and a massive stepped base. The very large and ornate stone crosses of this period illustrate a trend in Celtic art away from the portable precious objects such as books and jewelry that had been such triumphs of imagination and skill in the early Christian period. It must have been devastating for artists and their patrons when the treasures they produced attracted the unwelcome attention of Viking raiders. Metalwork only baited the monasteries and churches for the invaders’ plundering adventures and so the creative emphasis shifted towards the large stone crosses. These monuments posed no great temptation to the raiders and their massive size has helped them survive time and weather, most in their original locations.

Image dimensions: 4608 x 6144 pixels