File:Medieval Reliquary Pendant (FindID 713628).jpg

An almost complete silver-gilt Tau Cross Reliquary Pendant of medieval date. The pendant is in the form of the Greek letter tau (19th letter of the Greek alphabet) and consists of two separate pieces; the hollow walled container front and the flat back cover plate.

The front section has an integral suspension loop projecting from the centre of the upper T bar and bears elaborate decoration within a slight raised border. The decoration depicts a forward facing robed and haloed figure with arms raised to chest level, right hand clasped in the left, and a slight downward turn to the face. Above the figure, in the cross bar, intertwining vines or leafy branches extend from the centre to either end terminating in the corners with crosshatched fruits or blossoms. These motifs are set against a hatched background. Two deep gouges are present on the surface of the pendant.

The reverse of the front plate is hollow and much of the vertical bar is filled with soil as a result of its deposition. A flanged tongue is set inside the bottom section of the pendant and would have fitted underneath a corresponding plate on the back piece.

The remains of a pin also project from one exterior corner of the T-shape which would have passed through the top of the container, where a small hole is present and through a corresponding loop on the back piece to hold the pendant closed.

The back section also bears elaborate decoration within a slight raised border. This time depicting the standing Virgin holding the Christ Child. Also above the figures, in the cross bar, are the same intertwining vines or leafy branches with crosshatched fruits or blossoms seen on the front plate. These motifs are also set against a hatched background.

The reverse of the plate is flat and undecorated though bears the loop through which the pin would pass at the top edge and the plate which corresponds to that seen on the front section.

Faint gilding is present on both decorated surfaces and the sides of the plates.

These Tau Crosses acted as miniature reliquaries which are thought to have contained a herbal compound that was used to treat the symptoms of St Anthony's fire. Hence the possible association with the depiction of St Anthony.

A small number of similar pendants in precious metals (gold & silver) as well as copper-alloy are known from Britain. A similar example with analogous decoration though constructed of gold is seen in the Winteringham Pendant from North Lincolnshire. This is decorated on one face with the Trinity, and on the other with the standing Virgin holding the Christ Child (Husband 1992). Husband (1992, 19) describes the vine-style decoration as "a decorative idiosyncrasy found in several other engraved objects of similar date".

Husband (1992) also lists further parallels from Matlaske, Norfolk (dated circa 1475-85), and the Augustinian priory at Bridlington, Yorkshire (also dated circa 1475-85).

Similar pendants in a variety of materials though with less or alternate decoration have also been recorded on the PAS database. For examples see: 2010 T320 (DEV-4EAD04), 2011 T600 (SUR-315095) and WILT-B4CF25. A different form of pendant can be seen in 2014 T491 (LIN-D1EFDA).

Similar decorative styles can also be seen in other objects of a similar date such as the St Christopher Plaque (YORYM : 2010.81; 2008 T206) acquired by the Yorkshire Museum under the Treasure Act 1996: <a href="http://www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk/collections/search/?search_text=YORYM+%3A+2010.81">http://www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk/collections/search/?search_text=YORYM+%3A+2010.81</a>+

Date: Medieval: 15^th Century

Dimensions:

Front Plate:

Length: 39.4mm; Width: 35.3mm; Thickness: 4.5mm; Weight 13.2g.

Back Plate:

Length: 32.9mm; Width: 33.3mm; Thickness: 2.1mm; Weight 4.9g.

Discussion: In terms of age and as the object contains a minimum of 10% precious metal it qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.

References

Husband, T. (1992) 'The Winteringham Tau Cross and Ignis Sacer', The Metropolitan Museum Journal 27 (1992), 9-35.