Ethiopian Coptic Cross Amulet

Rows of tiny raised beads line every edge of this long, double-barred form.

This coptic cross amulet is Ethiopian Orthodox, from Ethiopia, East Africa, and dates to the 19th or early 20th century. It is coin silver & fine silver. Worn at the neck, a cross is generally understood in Ethiopian Christian tradition as a sign of faith and a mark of belonging to the church. Tall upright with a short upper bar and a longer lower one, edged with tiny round beads and curled hooks at the ends. Fine hatched lines fill the center. The surface is dark and grainy, with a flat loop at the top. It is 1 inches long and 1.75 high.

Beaded to the last millimeter, then beaded some more.