Renaissance inscribed gold gilded reliquary cross pendant

Code: 12150

This is a fabulous Renaissance gilded reliquary cross pendant, dating to the 16th century AD. The bronze cross is heavily decorated with pierced scenes of the Passion, tools, a ladder, the crown of thorns etc. The sides are engraved in Roman Capitals with the wording "DULCE LIGNUM DULCES CLAVOS DULCIA FERENS PONDERA". The contents would have likely been wood in the form of a cross, possibly olive wood. It may have been a crucifix with a gilt bronze corpus of Christ. Being an excavated find, the wood has all but vanished, but the object is still very attractive and retains a lot of presence!

OBJECT: Reliquary Cross/Crucifix

CULTURE: Renaissance

DATE: c. 1550 - 1650 A.D.

MATERIAL: Bronze, gold gilded.

SIZE: 71.8mm x 39.1mm x  7.6mm

WEIGHT: 19.23 grams

PROVENANCE: Formerly in a private collection. Spain.