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Monuments: I

1. Iona, St. Martin's Cross. East Face, General View.

Image
RecordAuthor Máirín Mac Carron
ISODate 2002-06-07
Date 7 June 2002
PictureCredit Jane Hawkes
County Argyll, Isle of Mull
Townland Iona
OSMapRef NM 285242 (128525, 724212)
Area Scotland
GeneralContext High Cross
Location SW angle of the nave of the abbey church
GeneralContext Stone type: Epidiorite
Dimensions 4.3 m high, 0.67 m wide, 0.26 m thick.
GeneralDescription East face of St. Martin's Cross tapering in width towards the top.
East East face.
East Lower panel: 24 entwined serpents, around 3 cruciform bosses.
East Upper panel: decorated around 5 bosses, each covered in interlace
East Central boss is surrounded by 9 small bosses , separated by spirals, within a circle of bead moulding
East Below the central boss, another smaller boss is set in a tangle of interlaced serpents and a triangle (above and below it) of smaller bosses.
East Above the central boss, in the top arm are 2 pairs of lions (beasts/) with long tails curling below them, above and below the upper boss. Their front paws are crossed and form X shapes.

  1. The Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Argyll: An Inventory of the Monuments. Vol. 4. Iona. 1, HMSO, Edinburgh (1982) High Cross, Archaeology, Scotland, Iona, Isle of Mull.
  2. Allen, J. R., Anderson, J., The Early Christian Monuments of Scotland, Pinkfoot Press, Balgavies, Angus (1993) Descriptions, Stone, Sculpture, Monuments, Scotland.