Silver - Cross pendant - Coptic cross in filigree

Coptic silver-plated cross with filigree and granulation
A movable body with a hinge.

Ethiopia
First half of the 20th century

Dimensions: 8 x 4.5 cm
Weight: 21.93 g

Coptic silver cross from the late 19th/early 20th century, originating from Ethiopia, characterized by filigree and applied granulation. A test was conducted on the back of the cross which showed that it is silver (if it turns red as in the photo, otherwise it remains transparent). Being an old African artifact, there are no hallmarks.
Ethiopia stands out among Christian lands for the incomparable importance of the cross in the life of its people and for the inexhaustible variety and complexity of decorative motifs used to embellish cross-shaped objects of every kind.

Both in the textual and visual culture of Ethiopian Christians, the cross has been revered for centuries as the most important source of physical and spiritual protection and as a fundamental symbol of communal and individual identity. Crosses of various shapes and sizes are widely used in religious and magical rituals as well as in daily social interactions and in people’s personal experiences in different contexts. In some regions of Ethiopia, crosses adorn not only churches but also private homes, and they may appear embroidered not only on traditional garments but even on the skin of people (tattooed, branded, or incised on the forehead, hands, or other parts of the body). Moreover, some crosses are venerated as objects of miraculous origin and ownership.