Antique solid Imperial Russian silver large (approx. 2 1/2" tall with bale and jump ring; weight approx. 7.7 g) Orthodox Cross pendant featuring a traditional Slavonic ornate "budded" design with image of the Savior's Cross over the skull (Adam's head). The Cross is made in solid silver and was originally decorated with colored enamel (only few fragments preserved on the obverse). The reverse bears the "84" old Russian silver hallmark that approximately corresponds to the "875" silver purity. Next to the "84" print, there is the "Kokoshnik" official assay mark of the Imperial Russia. The mark appears as a tiny profile of a woman's head with a Russian head dress named "Kokoshnik". The hallmark appearance suggests the manufacturing date between years 1908 and 1917 (please see the last picture for a reference). It also incorporates a tiny Greek letter "theta" indicating Russian city of Kostroma as the assay region. Just below the hallmark, there is a two-letter maker's mark (highlighted on the reference picture). The initials of the maker, "АA", might have belonged to an Imperial Russian silversmith A.A. Aleksandrov (1859-1916). The Cross shows visible signs of wear consistent with its age and devotional wearing, including reduced quality of artwork, deformations of the original shape, lost fragments of enamel, scratches of various size and depth, dents and patches of dark silver patina or oxidation. The original solid loop of the necklace bale was probably lost at some point of the item's past history and was replaced with a through hole drilled in the top part of the pendant paired with a thick silver jump ring. The Cross and jump ring were tested and both showed as a solid silver alloy between .875 and .925 purity (roughly matching the "84" hallmark of the pendant). Some of the original patina has been removed using gentle cleaning and polishing. The size and weight of the item are shown on the photographs for this listing. 

The crossbar ends of the pendant are "budded", with three round shapes, or "buds", each. In a Christian context, such a design could symbolically represent the Holy Trinity, similarly to the three-leaved clover, or Shamrock. They are decorated with a floral, vine-like motif symbolizing the life-giving nature of the Christian Cross, and also referring to the preaching of Christ: "I am the vine; you are the branches" (John 15:5).

The obverse bears a symbolic image of the Savior's Cross. The top "budded" crossbar end incorporates the "2H" monogram, a unique Slavonic Orthodox symbol that could refer to the teaching of the Church Fathers about Jesus being the 2nd Hypostasis of the Holy Trinity (Hypostasis of the Son) with two natures, one divine and one human. The left and right side "budded" ends of the horizontal crossbar bear the Sacred Name of Jesus Christ represented with the "IC XC" Greek Christogram made in a Slavonic Orthodox transliteration as the "IIC XC", the "IIC" on the left, and the "XC" on the right. 

A larger, symbolic image of the skull, or Adam's head, buried below the Savior's Cross refers to Golgotha (Calvary), the elevated site where Jesus was crucified, which the Bible says means "the place of the skull" in Hebrew. An ancient tradition of the Church held that it was also the burial place of Adam, thus symbolizing the ultimate victory of Christ over sin and death.

Please examine all photographs carefully and do your own research if necessary. Please note that photographs are an important part of the item's description. The measuring meter and electronic scale are not for sale, and might be photographed with the item in order to provide a size and weight reference. Please ask all questions before making a purchase. There are no guarantees with the listing because most items are original vintage or antique objects that are quite old. All items are sold "as is" with no returns because of a change of mind offered. Shipping and handling is free for the continental US. International shipping is handled by Ebay. International buyers, please ask your shipping questions, if any, prior to buying. Please note that customs regulations differ from country to country, and it is a buyer's responsibility to ensure that any customs fees or other duties collected by the buyer's country are paid and satisfied in full.