429 



crutch head, formed by a double crook which appears to have been the 

 third kind of ecclesiastical staff used by the early Irish bishops, and of 

 which we find many examples on our sculptured crosses and illuminated 

 MSS. ; this he holds towards the figure opposite King Mand, who grasps 

 it with his right hand, the saint extending his left hand to the king, and 

 presenting to him something like a small box ; but this portion of the 

 carving is very obscure. 



In the foregoing two illustrations we no doubt have representations of 

 some remarkable event in the life of King Fland. 



No. 23. This sculpturing appears to represent the guarding of the se- 

 pulchre, and the ascent of our Lord — the Roman soldiers being, of course, 

 dressed in the costume and with the arms of the Irish gallowglass of 

 the ninth and tenth centuries; these consist of a conical helmet, a short 

 stout spear, a belted tunic reaching to just above the knees, the arms 

 and legs being bare ; neither figure is bearded, though the moustache is 

 worn, which may either imply that the men were young, or fhat the 

 beard was not allowed to the common soldier, which is, I think, the most 

 correct explanation. 



Over the head of the small central figure is the nimbus, and above it 

 a circle with a descending dove within it, typifying the Holy Spirit ; and 

 to this subject I shall presently return. 



No. 24. This sculpturing is obscure in its meaning, and is merely 

 given as affording another example of the arms and costume of the gal- 

 lowglass, which agree with that just noticed. 



No. 25. Sculpturing on the sofiit of the circle of the cross; it re- 

 presents two human masks inclosed by two serpents wound together in 

 an S- shape form; and it is quite evident that the sculptor drew on his 

 imagination for the figures of the serpents, as he appended ears to them 

 like those of a ruminant, and a spreading fantail like that of the salmon 

 and perch. Above this device is an extended hand, coupe at the wrist, 

 and surrounded by a circle, decorated, like the bodies of the serpents, 

 with a row of small disks. 



I have seen it stated that in the Greek or Eastern Church the bishop 

 gives the benediction by extending the outstretched hand. Can we 

 suppose, therefore, that the outstretched hand in this as well as in other 

 similar examples is emblematic of the benediction bestowed on the 

 cross when it left the hands of the sculptor ? 



No. 26. The sketch on the right hand side of this sheet represents 

 | the dove and nimbus, described as surmounting the head of our Lord 

 in the sculpturing numbered 23 ; and to this feature I wish to direct 

 your special attention, inasmuch as I believe that here we have the 

 original idea which suggested the cross formed by the intersection of 

 four parts of circles, or the cross of eight points which is essentially both 

 Irish and Greek. By the side of this figure I give the cross derivable from 

 it, and which I propose to call the dove cross. 



In the following illustration, No. 27, this cross, in combination with 

 that having straight arms, gives us the typical form of the Irish stan- 

 dard cross. 



E. T. A. PBOC. VOL. IX. 3 L 



