Mäsquäl (hand cross)
Mäsquäl (hand cross)

On view

African Art

Mäsquäl (hand cross),

17th–18th century

Artist unidentified
2016-667

The first documented use of hand crosses in Ethiopia dates to the fifteenth century. In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, hand crosses are distinctive markers of ordained priests, who carry them not only during religious services but also in their daily lives. A priest customarily greets the laity by extending his hand cross, which the faithful bow to and kiss. Metal crosses like this one were made by the lost-wax technique; its flared arms, long, slender handle, and square base evoke the earliest metal crosses in Ethiopia. The wooden hand cross features a more complex design that combines intricate geometric motifs with figural forms. In addition to the body of Christ, which is carved on both sides, a scene at the base may represent the Resurrection.

Meseret Oldjira, Graduate School Class of 2024

Information

Title
Mäsquäl (hand cross)
Dates

17th–18th century

Maker
Artist unidentified
Medium
Metal
Dimensions
19.5 × 7.5 × 0.5 cm (7 11/16 × 2 15/16 × 3/16 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Gillett G. Griffin
Object Number
2016-667
Place Made

Africa, Ethiopia, Amhara or Tigray region

Culture
African
Period
Ethiopian styles
Type
crosses (objects)
Subject
crosses (motifs)

Gillett G. Griffin (1928-2016), Princeton, NJ; bequeathed to the Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton, NJ, 2016.

IIIF manifest

The International Image Interoperability Framework, or IIIF, is an open standard for delivering high-quality, attributed digital objects online at scale. Visit iiif.io to learn more.

Open API URL

Our API is generally designed to provide programmatic access to the Museum's collections data for applications that require regular updates and/or the ability to dynamically query and filter the data via the endpoints provided.

Share your feedback with us

The Museum regularly researches its objects and their collecting histories, updating its records to reflect new information. We also strive to catalogue works of art using language that is consistent with how people, subjects, artists, and cultures describe themselves. As this effort is ongoing, the Museum’s records may be incomplete or contain terms that are no longer acceptable. We welcome your feedback, questions, and additional information that you feel may be useful to us. Email us at collectionsinfo@princeton.edu.

Explore More

Holidays at the Museum

Princeton Collects

Mosaic Restaurant