Ethiopian Coptic Hand Cross, Based

The cross is plain. The faith behind it is anything but.

Ethiopian metalworkers made this Coptic hand cross in a silver alloy in the late 19th or early 20th century. Hand crosses are commonly carried by Ethiopian Orthodox priests, who offer them to be kissed during blessings. The head is a compact, equal-armed cross with small knobbed terminals, set on a tapering shaft with a flat rectangular grip. The metal has a dark gray, softly worn surface with lighter highlights on the edges. It is mounted on a thin rod and black base.

About twelve inches tall. Spare, devotional, and quietly commanding.