Large Antique 18thc Indo-portuguese Crucifix Cross Reliquary Palestine Relics

OFFERED FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS A GENUINE ANTIQUE 18TH CENTURY INDO-PORTUGUESE OR GUJURAT OR PALESTINIAN CRUCIFIX /CROSS RELIC BOX. THIS MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE WAS WITHOUT DOUBT A TREASURED DEVOTIONAL KEEPSAKE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HANDED DOWN OVER GENERATIONS. IT SEEMS THERE IS CONFUSION AS TO THE ORIGINS OF THIS TYPE OF CROSS IN PARTICULAR THE GEOMETRIC INLAID PEARL DECORATION SHOWS STRONG STYLISTIC SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT. IT HAS BEEN WRITTEN THAT THESE PIECES WERE EARLY PILGRIMAGE SOUVENIRS PRODUCED IN JERUSALEM BY SYRIAN CRAFTSMAN UNDER THE DIRECTION OF FRANCISCAN MONKS. THE DECORATIVE SYMBOLOGY USED DOES IN FACT RELATE TO SYMBOLS POPULARISED WITHIN THE FRANCISCAN ORDER.

THIS VERY EARLY EXAMPLE IS MOST LIKELY MADE OF CARVED OLIVE WOOD AND AS IT ALSO FUNCTIONS AS A RELIC HOLDER IT IS POSSIBLE IT ONCE HAD OR STILL HAS A FRAGMENT OF THE TRUE CROSS WITHIN IT. THESE SLIDING MECHANISMS WERE SPECIFICALLY MADE TO ACCOMMODATE RELICS. THE RELIC BOX BELOW WHICH IS ALSO THE SUPPORT OF THE CROSS IS EMPTY. THERE ALSO SEEMS TO BE MUCH CONFUSION WITH DATING THESE CRUCIFIX AS WELL.

THE REDDISH / BROWN REPEATING DOT FORM INLAYS PRESENT ON THIS CRUCIFIX ARE TYPICAL OF THE 1700'S AND EARLIER , THE 19TH CENTURY EXAMPLES TEND TO LACK THIS CHARACTERISTIC AND ARE CONSIDERED MORE COMMON. European Furniture, Sculpture, Works Of Art, Tapestries And Carpets. CONDITION: THE RELIQUARY CRUCIFIX IS IN STABLE CONDITION. THERE ARE SOME LOSSES TO THE MOTHER OF PEARL INLAY THE MOST NOTICEABLE IS THE INRI BANNER. THE HORIZONTAL BEAM IS MISSING ONE OF THE THREE CIRCULAR FORM TERMINALS.

TWO OF THE THREE ROUND CYLINDRICAL DOWL FEET THAT SUPPORT THE RELIC BOX BASE ARE REPLACEMENTS. AND I SUSPECT THERE WERE FOUR ADDITIONAL SMALL TERMINALS LOCATED ON THE VERTICAL BEAM THAT ARE ALSO MISSING. THIS BEING SAID THIS SUPERB EXAMPLE IS IMMEDIATELY READY FOR DISPLAY IN MY OPINION.

I WOULD NOT CHANGE A THING! PLEASE SEE MY OTHER LISTINGS FOR GENUINE ANTIQUE AND INTERESTING ITEMS. The item "LARGE ANTIQUE 18THC INDO-PORTUGUESE CRUCIFIX CROSS RELIQUARY PALESTINE RELICS" is in sale since Friday, March 06, 2015. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Religion & Spirituality\Christianity\Crucifixes & Crosses". The seller is "tajmohul2004" and is located in Pikesville, Maryland.

This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Country/Region of Manufacture: Israel
• Material: Wood