The Christian monuments are not older than
the fifth century, but many have been proved palimpsests and rise on pagan
foundations dating from a time far more ancient than their own. The relics
are divided into two classes by antiquarians: Pillar Stones and Sculptured
Crosses. The former occur throughout the Celtic divisions of Great Britain,
and are sometimes marked with the Chi Rho monogram, or early rude cross
form. In most cases these earlier erections indicated a grave, while the
sculptured crosses either denoted boundaries of sanctuary, or were raised
promiscuously where men and women passed or congregated, their object being
to encourage devotion and lead human thoughts heavenward. The designs on
these monuments are usually a bad imitation of Irish key patterns and
spirals; but many, in addition, show crucifixes in their midst, with
pre-Norman figures depicting the Christ in a loose tunic or shirt, his head
erect and his body alive, after the Byzantine fashion. The mediaeval mode
of carving a corpse on the cross is of much later date and may not be
observed before the twelfth century.
More than three hundred of these sculptured crosses have been discovered
within the confines of Cornwall. In churchyards and churchyard walls they
stand; they have even been discovered wrought into the fabric of the
churches themselves; the brown moor likewise knows them, for they stud its
wildernesses and rise at the crossways of many lonely roads; while
elsewhere, villages hold them in their hearts, and the emblem rises daily
before the sight of generation upon generation.
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