Ethiopian Brass Coptic Cross

Flat cross with blunt, rounded arms and a faceted head, glowing like copper.

This brass Coptic cross is from Ethiopia, East Africa, and dates to the late 19th or early 20th century. Ethiopian Orthodox Christians have a rich tradition of metal crosses, and each region is known for its own characteristic interlaced and openwork patterns. Hand-formed cross with slightly uneven arms, thick at the center and softly rounded at the tips. The top rises to a small pierced and angular knob. The surface is a warm coppery brown with soft hammered irregularities. It is 1.75 inches wide and 2.5 high.

Plainspoken and heavy, the way a good cross ought to be.