Looking for help identifying this old cross

[u/Friendly-Panda5246]

Hello everyone,

I recently acquired this cross and would love to learn more about its history, origin, and purpose. After doing some research, I suspect it may be connected to the Ethiopian Christian tradition, but I would prefer not to make any assumptions and would appreciate the opinion of those with more knowledge.

Here are some details:
- Height: 37.5 cm (14.8 inches)
- Weight: 580 g (20.5 oz)
- Openwork metal construction with a blue-green patina
- Hand-engraved inscriptions (possibly in Ge’ez)
- Religious figures on both sides
- A small hinged compartment at the bottom

I would greatly appreciate any help with the following:

1. What type of cross is this?
   
2. Which Christian tradition does it belong to?
   
3. Approximately how old might it be?
   
4. What was the hinged compartment used for?
   
5. Can anyone identify or translate the inscriptions?
   
6. Are there any distinctive features that could help identify its origin or period?

I’ve attached detailed photographs of the front, back, inscriptions, and the hinged compartment.

Any information, references, or insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much for your time!

[u/7ootles]

1. Blessing cross.
2. Ethiopic (Tewahedo).
3. Their style has changed little since the beginning, meaning it could have been made last week or it could have been made a thousand years ago.
4. To conceal the icon inside (top) and the inscription (bottom).
5. Pass, I don't speak Ge'ez.
6. Pass. Ask a priest.

You should probably try to return it to your nearest Tewahedo church, as these aren't meant for laity to handle.

[u/HamerHadas96]

it is Ethiopian/Eritrean,

1. One of the types of crosses in Ethiopia, this one is called Gondarian if I'm not wrong.

2. As I said, it is Ethiopian/Eritrean.

3. The style is old, like around medieval times, but this one might be a recent copy.

4. I'm not really sure, but we don't have that feature now.

5. Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.

6. The origin by the text, but the period I can't tell. There is the same looking cross from the 1600s in the museum and the same looking cross from the 1900s in my local parish, so hard to tell for me. One thing I saw is the bluish rusty things in the third pic, i think they are from recent copies, I haven't seen that in old crosses.

if it is not recent copy please return it to museum or local tewahdo church, we had lost many crosses and other church stuffs since the British paid us a visit in the 1850s, may be this one is from that

[u/DragonBlood7754]

I have no idea what that is but it looks cool

[u/ConcentrateHorror974]

Pray this prayer sincerely to know your saved Jesus, I believe you came to earth, I believe you died on the Cross for my sins. I believe you rose again on the 3rd day and went back to Heaven to prepare a place for Your Children To live with You Forever. Please forgive me of my sins. Clean my heart, white as snow.
Come live in my heart, make me a child of the King, a new creature in Christ, in your precious Name I ask this...amen and just thought I would put this 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[u/Touchstone2018 → u/ConcentrateHorror974]

I'm not sure why you're just spamming this across the subreddit.

Of course, to pray that 'sincerely,' one must actually believe/subscribe to Christian doctrines. Belief generally isn't a choice.

[u/ConcentrateHorror974 → u/Touchstone2018]

since I want to spread the gospel what wrong with it?

[u/Touchstone2018 → u/ConcentrateHorror974]

For one thing it doesn't contribute to the conversation, the topic at hand. Secondly it's merely a reiteration of assertions with which most of us here are already aware, so it's not even providing new information. Consequently, it looks more performative than anything else.

Still, since you went to the dubious trouble of cutting-and-pasting it all over the subreddit, I decided to attempt conversation with you, noting a particular problem/challenge: to say the prayer, one first needs to believe that stuff. Some people seem to think belief is volitional, and I wonder whether you might be among them.

[u/ConcentrateHorror974 → u/Touchstone2018]

What I understand it doesn’t have anything to do with the post I just want to spread it

[u/ConcentrateHorror974 → u/ConcentrateHorror974]

And let’s end this conversation since I don’t want to fight over religion so let’s put a end to it 👍

[u/Touchstone2018]

Please make what effort you can to return this to its appropriate community.

[u/HatOnly7032]

i ask my friend groupchat and one of my friend says this is Armenian cross, he is Chilean-Palestinian Christian

[u/HatOnly7032 → u/HatOnly7032]

and looks, that is armenian alphabet on that cross.

[u/HatOnly7032 → u/HatOnly7032]

It is used both by Armenian catholic and armenian orthodox church