Medieval, Crusaders Era Bone Cross pendant, with Templar Cross, Five Wounds of Christ and IC XC Monogram (No reserve price)

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Medieval Crusader or Medieval Byzantine bone cross pendant, carved in relief. The pendant is shaped as a Latin cross, pierced at the top for suspension.

Below the suspension loop appears the inscription IC XC, the traditional Greek Christogram abbreviating Iēsous Christos (Jesus Christ).
At the centre is a raised Templar Cross, surrounded by small punched dots. Below the Templar cross is a cross formed by five punched dots, referring to the Five Wounds of Christ.

The surface of the cross is further decorated with small punched dots and linear designs. The reverse is undecorated, showing the natural texture of the bone. It is fitted with a modern leather jewellery cord for safe wear or display.

This cross is exceptional in its rich symbolic composition, uniting the Latin cross shape, a central Templar cross, the IC XC inscription, and a secondary cross formed by five dots referring to the Five Wounds of Christ.

Size: ± 79,7 x 38,4 mm
Condition: good solid condition. The pendant displays wear and surface smoothing consistent with age and long-term handling.


-> The Latin cross, characterised by a long vertical shaft intersected by a shorter horizontal arm positioned above the centre, appears in Christian art towards the end of Late Antiquity. Its distinctive proportions came to represent Christianity and Christendom as a whole.

Many medieval churches were designed according to the Latin cross plan; when viewed from above, the ground plan mirrors this form. One of the earliest and most influential examples in Europe is Old St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, begun around 319 AD.

During the first centuries AD, Christian symbols were worshipped and worn discreetly. After Christianity was adopted as the official religion of the Roman Empire in 380 AD, the cross became a prominent and openly displayed symbol. It offered comfort and spiritual reassurance in times of hardship, particularly during the Crusades and the recurrent pandemics that affected medieval Europe.

To this day, Christians continue to wear crosses and sacred pendants close to the heart as tangible expressions of faith and of God’s presence in their lives.


-> The Templar cross, also known as the cross pattée, is one of the most iconic symbols associated with the Order of the Knights Templar. They adopted a red cross on their white robes in 1147, but there was no specific style designated, and different Templars used different versions of cross.

The cross pattée or Templar cross, is a type of Christian cross with arms that are narrow at the centre, and often flared in a curve or straight line shape, to be broader at the perimeter.

For the Templars, wearing this cross served as a constant reminder of their sacred mission and of their vocation to imitate Christ, not only through their prayers, but also through their commitment on the battlefield.

The cross pattée became a symbol of the bravery and self-sacrifice of the Templars. It was not simply a religious emblem: it served as a mark of membership in a powerful, respected, but also feared order in the medieval world.

To the present day Christians wear crosses and sacred pendants close to their hearts as tangible signs of their faith and Gods presence in their lives.


-> Five Wounds of Christ
In early medieval Christian symbolism, a group of five marks, shown as punched dots, raised bosses, or similar elements, is often interpreted as referring to the Five Wounds of Christ. The central mark symbolises the wound to Christ’s side, while the four surrounding marks represent the wounds to the hands and feet. This motif appears on a variety of early medieval devotional objects and is generally associated with protective and devotional meaning, particularly in personal crosses and amulets.


-> IC XC Christogram
In Eastern Orthodoxy, the most widely used Christogram is a four-letter abbreviation ICXC—a traditional abbreviation of the Greek words for "Jesus Christ" (that is, the first and last letters of each of the words ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ—written "IHCOYC XPICTOC".
In Greek and Byzantine practice names were abbreviated by using the first letter, the first two letters, and the first and last letters. The IC-XC monogram can often be found on Byzantine icons, coins and jewellery.