KMERY/3

Corpus Refs:Macalister/1949:572
Site:KMERY
Discovery:inc, inc
History:
Geology:Macalister/1949, 25: `sandstone'.

Dimensions:3.56 x 1.16 x 0.35 (Harbison/1992)
Setting:in ground
Location:earliest
Form:Cramp sh. B, head 12a, r1
Harbison/1992, 121: `The sandstone cross in the old churchyard at Killamery stands on a two-tiered base 1.25 m square at ground level, and about 70cm high. Its bottom step is noticeably truncated on the south side, and its `risers' are decorated, but not the treads. The cross itself is 2.56 m high, a roof-cap adding an extra 30 cm approximately. The width across the arms is about 1. 16 m, and the bottom of the tapering shaft measures 47cm in width and 35 cm in thickness'.
Condition:complete , good
Folklore:none
Crosses:none
Decorations:animal; figural; frame; geometric ribbon interlace

Harbison/1992, 121--124 gives a detailed breakdown of the carving and imagery found on this cross:

`EAST FACE (Figs. 404, 405, 409)

Base (Fig. 409)

Lower Step: The `riser' has rows of stepped crosses with sunken centres.

Upper Step: The `riser' has decoration which is much worn, but in the left-hand half there would appear to be a man sticking out his arm in the midst of birds and other animals.

Shaft (Fig. 404)

Above the plinth with incised line running parallel to the edges, there are three patterns of marigold type, which can also be seen as two full and two half circles. There is a small three-pointed knot of interlace in the intervening spaces above and below, while the centre of the `upper' circle has four T-shapes forming a square, probably imitating metalwork enamel designs.

Head (Fig. 405)

At the centre of the head there is a large domed boss with radiating lines (petals?). Beneath it is interlace, from each side of which emerges a serpent which stretches its head with upturned snout into the arms of the cross. There it crosses the neck of, and bites the lower jaws of, another serpent which emerges from a spiral above the central boss. On the top of the cross there is an animal with body and forward-stretching legs seen from above, and a face shown with both sides towards the front and with a curled-up snout.

Ring: The bottom-right segment has interlace between a raised roll moulding, and the bottom-left segment has rope-moulding. But the other details of the ring are not clear.

SOUTH SIDE (Figs. 406-407)

Base

Lower Step: The lower step is divided into three separate panels, that on the left with a broad interlace. The other two are too weathered to be recognisable.

Upper Step: While difficult to interpret due to weathering, the `riser' of the upper step would seem to have on the left a cross-shaped panel possibly bearing a human interlace surrounding a sunken cross within it, and on the right perhaps interlace motifs.

Cross

On the plinth, there is a roundel decorated with interlace (Fig. 406). Vertical mouldings on the shaft divide it into three upright panels, of which that in the centre has a simple broad-banded interlace which turns into running spirals under the arm, yet reverts to interlace at the top of the shaft.

End of arm: Noah's Ark (Fig. 407).

WEST FACE (Figs. 410-412)

Base (Fig. 410)

Lower Step: This is divided into a number of panels, of which that in the centre has two crosses in false relief sharing one common arm, and bearing lozenge-shaped or spiral decoration. To the left is a panel of interlace forming a cross-shape. The panel on the extreme left has interlinked squares with sunken centres. The decoration of the other panels cannot be made out satisfactorily.

Upper Step: Three groups of two bosses, probably with spiral and trumpet decoration between them.

Shaft (Fig. 411)

Plinth: Inscription (?) (Fig. 410)

The plinth has a rectangular panel surrounded by a raised rib. Little or nothing is visible on the panel today. It may, however, have once borne an inscription.

W 1: A panel of diagonal fretwork (Fig. 411)

W 2: A panel of vertically-structured fretwork with diagonal lines interspersed (Fig. 411).

Head (Fig. 412)

Below centre: GOD BLESSES AND SANCTIFIES THE SEVENTH DAY (Figs. 412 and 650).

Above centre: (?)ADAM AND EVE AT LABOUR (Fig. 412, and 662).

Top: Interlinked squares with sunken centres, giving postive or negative cross-patterns.

NORTH SIDE (Fig. 408)

Base

There is a stepped pattern in relief on the lower `riser', probably with geometrical decoration in the back-ground, but the upper `riser' shows no signs of decoration.

Cross

Above the plinth, which bears an incised line forming a rectangle, vertical ribs divide the shaft into three upright panels. The central panel has broad interlace which continues in a slightly different form under the ring, and reverts to the original pattern at the top of the shaft.

End of arm.

The end of the arm is divided into four squares, for which the following interpretations may be put forward.

Top left: (?)ST JOHN THE BAPTIST EMBRACING/RECOGNISING CHRIST (Fig. 789).

Top right: SALOME DANCES FOR THE HEAD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (Fig. 789).

Bottom left: THE NAMING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST(Fig. 789).

Bottom right: ZACHARIAS AND ELIZABETH WITH THE INFANT JOHN THE BAPTIST (Fig. 789)'.

References


Inscriptions


KMERY/3/1

Readings

Macalister, R.A.S. (1949):--[O]~R~DOMA/EL | SECHNAILL
Expansion:
OROIT DO MA/ELSECHNAILL
Harbison/1992 122, Fig. 410 concise discussion
Macalister/1949 25 concise discussion

Notes

Orientation:horizontal
Position:W ; base ; below cross ; panel
Incision:relief
Date:None published
Language:Goidelic (rbook)
Ling. Notes:none
Palaeography:none
Legibility:poor
Macalister/1949, 25: `The first four lines are clear, but the remainder is very obscure and densely covered in lichen'.

Harbison/1992, 122: `Little of nothing is visible on the panel today. It may once have born an inscription'.

Lines:2
Carving errors:n
Doubtful:no

Names

References