Cross-slab in Inishmurray

Wakeman (1893, 82–4, fig. 40) recorded this fragment of a cross-slab in the 1880s in Teach Molaise (SL001-001005-), but its current whereabouts are unknown. Slab fragment (H: 0.195 m, W: 0.15 m) incised with the upper two thirds of an outline cross and an inscription in the upper left quadrant. The inscription simply reads: CRUX (Translation ‘Cross’) At the crossing the false relief strands are separated thin incised lines, but they soon diverge so that the arms expand steadily from the crossing to terminate in large bulbous terminals. The terminals are decorated with hollow false relief circles, and that in the upper arm features a tiny central boss. This fragment and another cross-slab fragment (SL001-001048-) may be part of the same cross-slab. The above description is derived from the results of a survey of the archaeological monuments on Inishmurray undertaken in 1997-1999 and published in: Jerry O’Sullivan and Tomás Ó Carragáin 2008 Inishmurrary. Monks and pilgrims in an Atlantic landscape. Volume 1: Archaeological Survey and Excavations 1997-2000. Cork. The Collins Press. Date of upload: 20 February 2018

Cross-slabs are typically associated with the Early Christian period (5th–10th centuries AD) in Ireland and often mark ecclesiastical sites or memorials. This fragment may have originally formed part of a high cross associated with the monastic settlement on Inishmurray.