The High Cross of Muiredach

In an age of predominately small and personal art, early medieval Irish high crosses stood out as art of grand mass and scale. Towering at eighteen feet, the High Cross of Muiredach is no exception. This high cross erected in a burial ground in Monasterboice, Ireland in 923 is made of sandstone, is considered one of the largest and finest early medieval crosses, and is a prime example of the dual function of crosses as both sculpture and architecture.

The name of this particular high cross comes from an inscription on its base that asks for a prayer for a man named Muiredach who is thought to have been the abbot of a late 5th century Irish monastery in Monasterboice. The cross boasts concave arms with square terminals that are looped by four arcs that form a circle--these characteristics mark the cross as Celtic. Art historians debate the origin of this Celtic symbol that combines a cross with a ring surrounding the intersection. Some believe that the idea came from linking the Christian cross and the circular pagan symbol for the sun, while others think that the inspiration stemmed from crosses carrying victory wreaths around their intersection.

The west and east faces of the high cross of Muiredach depict two different relief images of Christ. The west face illustrates crucified Christ while the east shows Christ risen. Below the risen Christ on the east face, souls of the dead are weighed on scales to enhance the portrayal of Christ as the judge of the world.