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. Celtic Crosses >> The Braddan Kirk Celtic Cross
Since the 5th century AD, crosses have served in the Isle
of Man as grave markers and memorial stones. To date, 204
decorated stones have been found, representing the largest
concentration of such stones for this period. The great
majority remain in the churches and churchyard 'cross shelters'
of their parish of origin. Cast copies of all the stones
are kept at the Manx Museum, forming an invaluable reference
collection. The earliest slabs show the simple cross designs,
through to the later, more complicated patterning styles.
Inscriptions in Ogham, Celtic and Latin, commemorate the
dead.
After the Vikings settled on Mann, and converted to
Christianity, their sculptors decorated their crosses with
images from their pagan mythology and with patterning. Outstanding
examples of some new designs were produced by Gaut, the
earliest and best known of the Scandinavian sculptors, who
was responsible for the ring-chain pattern. The approximate
period of his work on the island is between 950 and 1040
AD. The Kirk Braddan Cross is a fine example of this and
can be seen at the parish church of Old Kirk Braddan. It
is dedicated to St Brendan, or Braddan, the old Celtic "Sailor's
Saint".
The Scandinavian chain-link shaft design of the cross changes
into treelike branches where it enters the wheel; a reminder
of the link between the stone monument and the tree of life.
The oldest symbol of the world-axis (pole or link between
heaven and earth) is the sacred tree, best known as the
Tree of Life. Pillar stones began to replace sacred trees
when nomadic peoples settled and cleared the land for agriculture.
When the British Isles became Christian, these pillars were
replaced with carved stone crosses. |