What is recorded here

Kinahan lifted the cross-slab from monastic debris in 1869 and set it six metres south of the church, forcing forgotten shapes back into human sight. Garnet mica-schist holds a broken expansional cross on one face and a worn linear cross on the other, as if the island had kept two versions of the same prayer. It stands between enclosures now, no longer hidden under rubble, but still carrying the loss of whatever hand first cut it.

This cross-slab is located c. 6.5m to the S of the church (GA021-026014-) on High Island, between the church enclosure (GA021-026021-) and the monastic enclosure (GA021-026022-). It is one of two cross-slabs (see also GA021-026016-) that were found among debris within the latter enclosure and it was placed at this spot in 1869 by Kinahan (1869, 348). Described by Fisher (2014, 210, no. 20, Figs. 7.4, 7.12) as a garnet mica-schist cross-slab (H 1.1m; Wth 0.39m; T 0.1m) which is decorated on both faces. The S face bears a short-armed expansional cross with a central roundel and D-shaped terminals in low relief. The right terminal is broken off and the top one is damaged. A boss is visible in the upper left quadrant. The N face bears a much-worn linear cross with forked terminals. (Higgins 1987, vol. II, 340-41, no. 66; White Marshall and Rourke 2000, 143-4, no. 5) Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 18 December 2015 The following image has been uploaded: GA021-026025-_02.jpg S face of cross-slab

This cross-slab likely dates to the early medieval period, associated with the monastic or ecclesiastical activity on High Island. It may have served a commemorative or liturgical function, reflecting Christian symbolism in a religious landscape.

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