232 Description of the Crosses 



form the bottom of the upper monohth. The remaining portion of 

 the carving consists of the top of the new vine, which appears first 

 in contact at the left, curves to contact at the right, and finally, 

 recurving on itself, makes a spiral which contains an animal. After 

 the first contact it throws off a branch which contains a bird. Both 

 of the monohths grow narrower at the top. There are runes on the 

 upper stone, also, but illegible. 



North Face} 



1. Subject doubtful. 



Two defaced figures, with hair reaching to the shoulders, stand 

 side by side, and face outward. They are visible only to the waist, 

 or a little lower. There is no inscription legible 



2. John the Baptist with the Agnus Dei. 



The man wears a nimbus, is bearded, and is of venerable aspect. 

 His hair reaches to his shoulders. He stands with each foot resting 

 on a ball-shaped stone, and is clothed in a talaric tunic and mantle. 

 The heavy drapery of the latter falls from the right arm, of which 

 the outline is not clear. The left hand and arm, apparently wrapped 

 in the mantle, support the figure of a lamb wearing a nimbus. The right 

 fore leg of the lamb is raised, the left fore and hind legs are worn away. 

 The lamb is facing the man's right, its nimbus nearly touching his 

 chin. Its hind quarters touch the right border. The panel is broken 

 in two, and rejoined with plaster. It is possible that several inches 

 of carving are missing at the joint. The right-hand border of the 

 lower half of the broken panel is composed of two pieces of new hewn 

 stone cemented together. There are traces of an inscription on the 

 border of the upper half. That on the lower half, reading down the 

 left side, is : 



(A ?)DORAMVS. 

 The letters on the lower border are illegible. 



4) Transliterated in vertical lines, with comments on the legibihty of 

 the individual runes, and accompanied by reproductions of photographs : 

 Victor, Die Northumbrischen Runensteine, pp. 6 ff. 



Older and less critical readings may be found in the Archceologia Scotica, 

 Vol. 4, 1833 (by Duncan), and, reposing upon this, in Archceologia, Vol. 28 

 (Kemble's article) ; then in Stephens' Runic Monuments, Vol. 2, the re- 

 print from it, entitled The Ruthwell Cross, and the reproduction of his 

 plate in Hammerich's Aelteste Christliche Epik ; etc. 



For the history of opinion concerning the runes on the cross, reference 

 may be made to Wiilker, Grundriss zur Geschichte der Angelsdchsischen 

 Litteratur, pp. 134-8 ; Victor (as above), pp. 2-4. 



1 See Figs. 12, 13, 13 a, 14. 

 (20) 



