Accession No

1883.737


Description

Copper alloy, hollow-cast crucifix figure. Christ crowned; elongated body with knee-length loincloth; bent knees; shown frontal. Single perforation to waist; two further perforations to each foot. Very faint traces of gilding on upper body. Right hand and left arm broken off and missing. Eyes were originally set with blue glass, only one remaining now.


Place

Europe; British Isles; England; Cambridgeshire; Wisbech


Period

Medieval 13th century


Source

Cambridge Antiquarian Society [donor]; Litchfield, W. E. [collector]


Department

Arch


Reference Numbers

1883.737; MAA: Z 11499; 1


Cultural Affliation


Material

Metal; Gilt Copper Alloy; ?Gilt Bronze; Gold; Glass


Local Term


Measurements

157mm


Events

Description (Labels & Markings)
Old label stuck on back reads: 'Found near Wisbech p.93.n75. Pr. by W.E.Litchfield.'
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn


Context (Display)
Cardboard display label handwritten in black ink reading under the category '11th - 12th century': '4. Wisbech, Cambridgeshire' and presented by 'The Cambridge Antiquarian Society, 1888' along with the addition 'see - Middleton, Cambridge Antiquarian Society's Report 1887, Page C'. Other numbers connected to this cardboard label are 1883.738, 1886.41, 1887.42, 1888.34.1, 1888.34.2, 1890.87, 1891.120, 1895.148, 1903.409, 1903.410, 1904.354, 1905.66, Z 11503, and Z 11560.
Event Date
Author: Jan-Henrik Hartung


Description (Physical description)
Catalogue card: 'Crucifix figure, copper enamel.'
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)


Description (Physical description)
Accession Register for Z 11499: 'Bronze crucifix figure (crowned)'
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)


Description (Physical description)
Crucifix figure with blue glass eyes (only one remains), crowned. One arm lost, the other damaged. Once enamelled.
Event Date
Author: maa


Context (Acquisition Details)
Donated to the Cambridge Antiquarian Society by W.E. Litchfield in 1846-1847. Described in the 1847 CAS Report as: 'Figure from a Crucifix, in bronze; found near Wisbeach [sic].'
Event Date 1846
Author: Imogen Gunn


Description (Physical description)
Accession Register for 1883.737: 'Crucifix figure copper enamel'
Event Date 1883
Author: maa


Context (Analysis)
On 17 March 2016, Marian Campbell Ramsay, former Senior Curator at the V&A, examined this object and dated it to the 13th century. This has accordingly added to the Period field. It was previously dated as 11th or 12th century.
Event Date 18/3/2016
Author: Imogen Gunn


Description (Physical description)
Copper alloy, hollow-cast crucifix figure. Christ crowned; elongated body with knee-length loincloth; bent knees; shown frontal. Single perforation to waist; two further perforations to each foot. Very faint traces of gilding on upper body. Right hand and left arm broken off and missing. Eyes were originally set with blue glass, only one remaining now.
Event Date 21/11/2023
Author: Jodi Zhang


FM:16076

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