GJPaw Auctions is very pleased to offer a very beautiful iron Coptic Cross, from Ethiopia. The Coptic Church is the Christian church of Egypt, established by Saint Mark in the 1st century (around 60 A.D.). The church ultimately spread elsewhere in Africa and the Near East.  The early “Copts” adapted the Egyptian Ankh cross as the basis of their cross.  The cross then evolved as the region's history changed. As the religion itself spread into Ethiopia, the crosses were typically made from tribal, or “coin” silver. In this process, European coins are melted down and then the silver is used in casting. Coptic crosses are cast using the lost wax process, meaning they are individual one-of-a-kind artworks. Old Coptic crosses often incorporate a circle; sometimes large, sometimes small. The circle was inherited from the Ankh cross, where it originally depicted the sun god. Whatever shape or form, the Coptic Cross reflects the richness of the hearts of people in the Coptic Church, and is a beautiful example of Coptic craftsmanship. This gorgeous example measures 3 inches wide by 8 inches high (10.1 cm by 27.9 cm), which includes the specially designed, hand-made, museum stand. It is generally in very good condition and shows wear consistent to a dating from the mid-19th century, including surface scratches, rubbing and patina color variation. A superb collector’s piece, it would make a fine addition to any collection of African art.

GJPaw Auctions has been in the Art business for over 25 years and is now expanding its operation to eBay.  Our goal is to bring the same experience and excitement of collecting that we have been delivering in-person to collectors across the globe at Primitive in Chicago.  Every object we sell online has been carefully hand-selected with special attention to detail, quality, and significance. We ship worldwide. Add GJPaw to Sellers you Follow and please take a moment to look at our other auction items.

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