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Crucifixion plaque
Crucifixion plaques are a type of Irish Early Medieval metal sculpture consisting of a central panel of the still alive but crucified Jesus, surrounded by four ancillary panels. The lower quadrants show Stephaton and Longinus (the lance and sponge bearers) and two hovering attendant angels in the upper quadrants. The frames have cavities that once held nails or rivets, indicating that the plaques were intended as attachments to larger ecclesiastical objects, perhaps book shrines, processional crosses or altarpieces.
Alongside high crosses, the plaques are among the earliest known examples of both figuration and representation of the Crucifixion in Insular art. Eight of the nine known examples survive, although many more would have been produced. All were found in Ireland in the 19th and 20th centuries; presumably they would have been hidden by Irish clerics from Viking or Norman invaders. They are all made from cast bronze and are similar in size. Apart from one, they of openwork (ie the figures were formed from holes or gaps punched through the metal). They were found within a relatively small geographical area, with find spots ranging from the area between Clonmacnoise in County Offaly and Tynan, County Armagh. The plaques are all cast as single pieces and except for the early 8th century Rinnegan and the Lismore plaques, have a unifying border.
Based on their ornamentation and iconography, apart from the very early Rinnegan Plaque, archaeologists dated them to the late 10th to early 12th centuries. Their format and iconography are based on designs found in classical Roman sculpture and in miniatures in 8th and 9th century illuminated manuscripts including the Book of Kells and Southampton Psalter.
The following list of the nine known plaques is based on the titles, locations and dates established by the archaeologist Peter Harbison in 1980, refined and updated by the archaeologists Ruth Johnson in 1998 and Griffin Murray in 2014.
Most of the plaques are made from bronze and with the figures achieved through openwork. They are decorated on the front side only, indicating they were intended to be attached to larger ecclesiastical objects. The very early and larger Rinnegan plaque shows evidence of now lost gilding. Apart from the Rinnegan plaque, they are all square-shaped and measure approximately 99 mm (3.9 in) x 99 mm (3.9 in).
The plaques consist of a central panel depicting the crucified Jesus on a cross within a square frame or border. He is surrounded by figures on each of the four surrounding quadrants. The upper two contain winged angels above his shoulders, the lower ones have the biblical figures Stephaton (the sponge-bearer) and Longinus (the lance-bearer) at either side of his feet. The ancillary figures assume various positions and poses in the different examples. The angels can be depicted as standing, hovering, or having two or three wings, while the soldiers can be shown standing or kneeling, on different sides, or adorned with different types of Celtic patterns. The Clonmacnoise plaque has a small cross on either side of Christ's head.
As with contemporaneous depictions of the Crucifixion on early medieval high crosses, Christ is depicted on a much larger scale than the other figures. He is usually bearded and has large, open eyes, indicating he is still alive. Christ wears a loincloth in six examples, and a full-length long-sleeved tunic in the Rinnegan and Clonmacnoise plaques. Apart from the Clonmacnoise plaque, his feet are turned away from each other.
The figures and frames are elaborately decorated with Ultimate La Tène, Insular and 11th-century Viking Ringerike designs, including spirals, interlace, foliate and lozenge patterns. The Clonmacnoise plaque is described by the archaeologist Ruth Johnson as "the most elaborate of the group". The reverse panels are plain and unadorned. Many contain multiple rivet holes, some of which (including the Clonmacnoise plaque) still contain nails. The rivet holes indicate that they may once have been attached to larger metal or wooden including metal altar crosses such as the Tully Lough Cross, wooden altarpieces or metal book shrines (cumdachs).
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Crucifixion plaque
Crucifixion plaques are a type of Irish Early Medieval metal sculpture consisting of a central panel of the still alive but crucified Jesus, surrounded by four ancillary panels. The lower quadrants show Stephaton and Longinus (the lance and sponge bearers) and two hovering attendant angels in the upper quadrants. The frames have cavities that once held nails or rivets, indicating that the plaques were intended as attachments to larger ecclesiastical objects, perhaps book shrines, processional crosses or altarpieces.
Alongside high crosses, the plaques are among the earliest known examples of both figuration and representation of the Crucifixion in Insular art. Eight of the nine known examples survive, although many more would have been produced. All were found in Ireland in the 19th and 20th centuries; presumably they would have been hidden by Irish clerics from Viking or Norman invaders. They are all made from cast bronze and are similar in size. Apart from one, they of openwork (ie the figures were formed from holes or gaps punched through the metal). They were found within a relatively small geographical area, with find spots ranging from the area between Clonmacnoise in County Offaly and Tynan, County Armagh. The plaques are all cast as single pieces and except for the early 8th century Rinnegan and the Lismore plaques, have a unifying border.
Based on their ornamentation and iconography, apart from the very early Rinnegan Plaque, archaeologists dated them to the late 10th to early 12th centuries. Their format and iconography are based on designs found in classical Roman sculpture and in miniatures in 8th and 9th century illuminated manuscripts including the Book of Kells and Southampton Psalter.
The following list of the nine known plaques is based on the titles, locations and dates established by the archaeologist Peter Harbison in 1980, refined and updated by the archaeologists Ruth Johnson in 1998 and Griffin Murray in 2014.
Most of the plaques are made from bronze and with the figures achieved through openwork. They are decorated on the front side only, indicating they were intended to be attached to larger ecclesiastical objects. The very early and larger Rinnegan plaque shows evidence of now lost gilding. Apart from the Rinnegan plaque, they are all square-shaped and measure approximately 99 mm (3.9 in) x 99 mm (3.9 in).
The plaques consist of a central panel depicting the crucified Jesus on a cross within a square frame or border. He is surrounded by figures on each of the four surrounding quadrants. The upper two contain winged angels above his shoulders, the lower ones have the biblical figures Stephaton (the sponge-bearer) and Longinus (the lance-bearer) at either side of his feet. The ancillary figures assume various positions and poses in the different examples. The angels can be depicted as standing, hovering, or having two or three wings, while the soldiers can be shown standing or kneeling, on different sides, or adorned with different types of Celtic patterns. The Clonmacnoise plaque has a small cross on either side of Christ's head.
As with contemporaneous depictions of the Crucifixion on early medieval high crosses, Christ is depicted on a much larger scale than the other figures. He is usually bearded and has large, open eyes, indicating he is still alive. Christ wears a loincloth in six examples, and a full-length long-sleeved tunic in the Rinnegan and Clonmacnoise plaques. Apart from the Clonmacnoise plaque, his feet are turned away from each other.
The figures and frames are elaborately decorated with Ultimate La Tène, Insular and 11th-century Viking Ringerike designs, including spirals, interlace, foliate and lozenge patterns. The Clonmacnoise plaque is described by the archaeologist Ruth Johnson as "the most elaborate of the group". The reverse panels are plain and unadorned. Many contain multiple rivet holes, some of which (including the Clonmacnoise plaque) still contain nails. The rivet holes indicate that they may once have been attached to larger metal or wooden including metal altar crosses such as the Tully Lough Cross, wooden altarpieces or metal book shrines (cumdachs).
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