The Ruthwell Cross 233 



3. The Figure of Christ. 



His right hand and arm, much mutilated, are raised as if in 

 benediction. The left hand, emerging from a fold of his mantle, 

 which is in the form of a sling, grasps a roll. The left arm slants 

 down across the body, causing the end of the roll to touch the right 

 elbow. He wears a three-rayed wide nimbus, and is bearded. His 

 hair reaches nearly to the shoulder. The heavy folds of the tunic 

 reach almost to the ankle. Each foot, perhaps bare, rests on the 

 head of an animal. These animals, visible only to the shoulder, 

 have their heads bent toward each other, the snouts touching. 

 The raised right forefoot of the left one covers the left forefoot of 

 the right one. The heads are abnormally long, the ears small. 



This panel has a top border, separate from the lower border of 

 the upper panel. Between these two borders is the evidence of 

 the cementing of the two monohths, this lower panel being the top 

 of the lower monolith. 



The inscription begins, reading from left to right on the top border, 

 with the abbreviation for Jesus Christ, f IHS XRS (RS partly 

 illegible). It continues down the right border, and half way down 

 jumps to the top of the left border, continues the whole length of 

 that border, and, returning to the right border, ends at the bottom 

 of the latter — the whole as illustrated below : 



(21) 



