What: A processional cross taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Maqdala referenced at length in the museum’s acquisition notes. This cross used as the main illustration on the museum’s Maqdala collection page.

The catalogue entry reads:

“Processional cross made from brass with a cast hollow shaft. The squared shaft is decorated with a rectangular panel of intricate interlaced designs front and back and tapers to a triangular point. Two squared lower arms extend out from the centre of the shaft to the top. The lower arms are decorated with herring-bone designs and with two finial crosses on the lower edge. The body of the cross is supported in a slot in the top of the shaft and is secured in place with a nail; two further nails set within quatrefoils attach the cross to the lower arms. The diamond shaped body of the cross if formed by a central patée cross with extensively flared arms which join at the corners.

“Front; the flared arms are each decorated and edged with interlacing representations of snakes on a ground of punched circular designs and with a finial cross. The central panel is engraved with, clockwise from left; Saint Michael with striped wings and sword, Jesus holding a scroll or book, Mary, Saint Gabriel, Matthew, John, Luke and Mark [?] all bearded and holding books.Back; the flared arms are edged with scrolled serpentine motifs and decorated with pateé crosses on a ground of punched circular designs, with a finial cross. The uppermost arm has a central cross with Ge’ez inscription. The central panel is engraved with twelve haloed, bearded men representing the Apostles.”

Inscription Translation: “Mary [kin of Abraham]?, Michael, Mary with her son, the cross which he gave to Dirasge, Gabriel, Matthew, John, Luke, [for Aba Matmarqos] ?, Michael”

Acquisition notes: “Richard Rivington Holmes, an assistant in the manuscripts department of The British Museum, had accompanied the expedition as an archaeologist. He acquired a number of objects for the British Museum, including around 300 manuscripts which are now housed in the British Library. In 1868 the Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh, donated to The British Museum two further collections of material from Maqdala.”

Details
Acquisition namePrevious owner/ex-collection: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868
Date: 1450-1500
Length: 31.5 cm
Width: 21 cm
Depth: 2.5 cm
Museum number: Af1868,1001.19

What: Fragment of a cross, made of silver, gilt and coloured glass, taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Maqdala referenced at length in the museum’s acquisition notes.

The catalogue entry reads:

“Central fragment of a processional cross made from silver gilt. A centrally placed convex medallion is engraved with the image of the crucifixion of Christ. To the left of the cross is a representation of the Virgin Mary with halo and to the right is Saint John the Evangelist. In the background are falling stars. Around the central medallion are eight pieces of square cut red and green glass in square settings. Four convex medallions each engraved with an angel form a cruciform pattern around the central medallion and three similar form the arms of a cross. At the top of the cross is a green coloured, piece of glass in a square setting. The cross is further decorated with punched cruciform patterns and silver gilt wire. Two holes in the central lower quarter indicate where the shaft would have been attached.

“The reverse of the cross is similar, but missing the central medallion and one of the pieces of red coloured glass and its setting.”

Curator’s comments: “The decoration of the cross uses multiple cruciform shapes, the alternate red and green pieces of square glass form a cross. The square is significant in Ethiopian iconography as it represents the cross, the Tabot and the throne of God.”

Acquisition notes: “Richard Rivington Holmes, an assistant in the manuscripts department of The British Museum, had accompanied the expedition as an archaeologist. He acquired a number of objects for the British Museum, including around 300 manuscripts which are now housed in the British Library. In 1868 the Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh, donated to The British Museum two further collections of material from Maqdala.”

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1001.10
Height: 36 cm
Width: 31 cm
Depth: 3 cm
Previous owner/ex-collection: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868

What: A processional cross cast in bronze, taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Maqdala referenced at length in the museum’s acquisition notes.

The catalogue entry reads:

“Processional cross cast in bronze and engraved. The body of the cross is formed from an outlined patée cross filled with interlaced cruciform motifs, with four open work crosses at the intersection of each arm. The arms of the cross are further extended and embellished with fluid serpentine designs and circular cruciform motifs. The squared, hollow shaft of the cross is tapered and engraved front and back with Ge’ez inscriptions. Two lower arms extend out from the shaft in the form of interlaced parallel bands which curve out and attach to the base of the cross. Either side of the shaft is an abstract representation of a snake and an extended band which joins the arms of the cross. The surface of the cross is decorated with engraved linear and punched designs.”

Inscription Translation
This cross (is dedicated to the church of) Takla Haymanot.
Given by Asada Maryam

Exhibited:
1978, London, British Museum, Christian Orient
1995/6 Oct-Jan, Royal Academy of Arts, Africa: The Art of a Continent
1996 Mar-May, Berlin, Martin Gropius Bau, Africa: The Art of a Continent
1996 May-Sep, New York, Guggenheim Museum, Africa: The Art of a Continent
“Sacred: Discover what we share” British Library, 23rd Apr 2007 to 27th Sep 2007

Acquisition notes: “Richard Rivington Holmes, an assistant in the manuscripts department of The British Museum, had accompanied the expedition as an archaeologist. He acquired a number of objects for the British Museum, including around 300 manuscripts which are now housed in the British Library. In 1868 the Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh, donated to The British Museum two further collections of material from Maqdala.”

Details
Museum number: Af1868,1001.16
Date: 16thC
Length: 47 cm
Width: 35 cm
Depth: 3 cm
Previous owner/ex-collection: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868