38 BULLETIN 148, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



was broken away. With a tang for inserting into a shaft. Height, 

 12 inches. Italy. (Plate 17, Cat. No. 152231, U.S.N.M.) 



112. Ivory cross with appurtenances oj the Passion. — The cross 

 proper rises from a post which is set into a base. Both the post 

 and the base have on their sides a sort of railing in openwork. The 

 base rests upon a plinth and this again is placed on a platform. At 

 the corners of the base are twisted columns and on top of the corners 

 of the base as well as of the plinth and platform are carved vases. 

 The front and back are adorned with rosettes and clusters of grapes. 

 The whole stands on rounded feet. 



The objects connected with the Passion represented on this cross 

 are, beginning at the top, a pelican. From the habit of this bird 

 of storing food in the large pouch attached to its lower mandible for 

 the purpose of feeding its young, which it does by pressing the pouch 

 against the breast, arose the belief that it opened its breast with its 

 bill to feed its young with its own blood — a belief wliich seemed to 

 derive support from the red at the end of the bill, and thus the 

 pelican became a symbol of Christ's love for his church. 



Underneath is the tablet inscribed with the title, I N R I — Jesus 

 Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews — 

 John xix, 19-20). Upon the transverse beam are, at the right end 

 (of the plate) a winged sphinx, at the left a winged, horned griffin. 

 To the x'ight of the vertical beam a hand, and to its left a vase. 

 These, with the bundle or tuft fastened to a staff seen next to the 

 sphinx, may either refer to the episode of the alabaster vase with 

 precious ointment which Mary of Bethany poured upon the feet of 

 Jesus and dried them with her hair, shortly before the Passion 

 (John xii, 3), or to that of the washing of the feet of the disciples by 

 Jesus (John xiii, 4-5); while next to the griffin is the lance with which 

 Jesus' side was pierced (Matthew xxvii, 49). On the front of the 

 transverse beam is in the center the crown of thorns (Matthew xxvii, 

 28), and to its sides the hammer and tongs, respectively, and a nail 

 at either side of them. Beneath the transverse beam are, in suc- 

 cession, the seamless coat of Jesus and the dice which the soldiers 

 used in casting lots for it (John xix, 23-24) ; two swords (Luke xxii, 38 

 and 50) ; the lantern which the officials used in their search for Jesus 

 (John xviii, 3); and the handkerchief, or sudarium of Veronica. This 

 refers to the story that when Jesus passed her door, bearing his cross, 

 Veronica, touched with compassion, wiped the drops of agony from 

 his face, and the features of Jesus were imprinted upon the cloth. 

 According to another account Veronica was the woman who was 

 healed by touching Christ's robe (Matthew ix, 20-21). Desiring a 

 portrait of him, St. Luke thrice painted it. Then Jesus said to her, 

 ''Unless I aid you, Luke's art is in vain, for my face is only known 

 to him who sent me." Afterwards, being at her house, he asked for 



