Military Button Group

A large bifacial wooden hand cross with engraved interlace borders and stylised flowers around crosses to one side, and blessing inscriptions in Ge'ez to the other framed by foliage; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 500 grams, 29 cm high (43 cm high including stand)



Acquired from Owen Hargreaves, 2003. UK private collection.

Ethiopian crosses, called in Amharic Maskal are divided into four main types: a) handcrosses, which can be large (22 to 53 cm) or small (14 to 21cm); b) processional crosses, usually measuring 22-60cm; c) pectoral or neck crosses, measuring 1-10cm; d) apex or architectural crosses, measuring 50-150cm. Our maskal belongs to the large hand cross category, probably of Havaria group, most common in the Shoa and Gojam provinces. The inscription reads from top to bottom: Sdar Alazar (name of locality) – Egzten nute mäsqäl (cross) on the left side, and Egzten Jesus (on the right side) followed by Adoneh Gavriil – Welde Hannah – Welde Michail. The cross invokes the blessing of God through the three Saints Hannah, Michael, Gabriel, who can be also the names related to the family of the priest who once owned the cross.

A complete silver dress fitting or strap mount in the form of two conjoined scallop shells along one edge of a sub rectangular bar with sloping sides, the fitting with central perforation and two slender mounting lugs to reverse. 1.24 grams, 12 mm



Found whilst searching with a metal detector by Kevin Ford on 1st March 2019 in Chinnor, South Oxfordshire, UK. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme Report (PAS) number OXON-86C7C3. Accompanied by a letter to HM Coroner for Oxfordshire from the Oxfordshire Finds Liaison Officer (FLO) with treasure reference number 2019 T648.

The scallop shell was associated with St. James and the pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, one of the most important pilgrimage centres in medieval Europe. The scallop shell became the symbol for pilgrimage more generally in this period. It is an overtly Catholic symbol which could have been worn with freedom before c. 1540, or in the period of the Marian revival of Catholicism from 1553-1558. Pilgrimage to the shrine at Compostela from England would have been interrupted by the English Reformation. The PAS report notes that similar examples have been declared as treasure, including: KENT-FEE744 (2014 T641) and NLM-538148 (2010 T539), both dating to the 16th century A.D.

A necklace composed of graduated amethyst beads of facetted type. 99 grams, 42 cm long



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.