Cross

Object Details

• Label

  The surface of the gold cross is decorated with five Greek letters. Read horizontally as ZOE, they mean "life"; read vertically as PHOS, they mean "light." The two words may refer to the passage from the Gospel of St. John, 1, 4: "In Him (god) was life; and the light was the life of men."

• Provenance

  To 1910

  Maurice Nahman (1868-1948), Cairo, Egypt, to 1910 [1]

  From 1910 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Maurice Nahman in 1910 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Miscellaneous List, S.I. 186, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Pre-Islamic Metalwork from the Near East (April 15, 1983 to April 4, 1984)

  Armenian Manuscripts (May 15, 1979 to March 11, 1980)

  Christian Art (December 1, 1971 to April 7, 1978)

  Christian Art (January 1, 1963 to May 15, 1968)

  Untitled Exhibition, Armenian and Byzantine Art (July 28, 1958 to January 1, 1963)

  Centennial Exhibition, Gallery 6 Alcove (February 25, 1956 to July 22, 1958)

  Special Exhibition, Armenian Manuscripts and East Christian Art (February 15, 1955 to April 13, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Near Eastern Art, East Corridor (October 26 to November 10, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Armenian Manuscripts, Gallery 6, 1947 (April 23 to October 3, 1947)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Near Eastern Art, 1947 (June 18, 1947 to October 26, 1955)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Maurice Nahman (1868-1948) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Cyprus

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Jewelry and Ornament

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  600s, 500s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Nahman, Maurice

• Topic

  Gold, Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Cyprus, Cross, Ancient Near Eastern Art, Engraving (incising), Metal-work

• Culture

  Middle Easterners

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry