Heavy brass or bronze medallion.

I bought this from a Charity shop because it stood out amongst a drawerful of necklaces. It did have a rough piece of string attached originally so it could be worn. It weighs in at a mighty 120grams, 60mm diameter and 6mm thick. I thought it was really quite odd and probably destined for the brass/bronze scrap bucket but thought I should check out if anyone knows what the symbols are before it gets melted. Thanks for looking.

 

It is a Chi Rho, the first 2 letters of Christ in Greek.

 

The other side seems to be based on a cross of some type but I'm not recognizing it or finding it here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_cross_variants

I can see it as a very abstract crucifix, but now I'm making it up.

 

Thank you Bronwen. I wouldn’t have found out as I was looking at navy stuff because of the stylised rope! Sadly I think this is unwearable as it is just too heavy.

 

If there were not a symbol on each side, I would think it is more of a small devotional wall plaque.

 

Just thinking of the big green roundel you would likely get on your chest after wearing it for a few hours.

 

Not into stigmata are you?

 

Noooo! That did make me laugh out loud. I am slightly worried about taking it down to the scrapyard as someone made it and it has religious meaning. The cross on the back isn’t like any other I can see though.

 

The way my brain turns it into a crucifix is by seeing the crossbar at the top as the sign that says INRI on it, then a simple cross, with the block under the arms the sagging body. Is that just a lighting artifact on the central part or is it really darker in the center with a brighter area at the edges? That's a lot of what creates the illusion for me.

 

That chi ro thing is papal. I'm seeing a cross as well. I suspect it might be for a horse harness.

 

i don't see the cross...but I see a Jesus on the cross......
but ...wdik ???

 

To the best of my knowledge, not exclusively so. Anyone can wear it & you'll find lots of jewellery, from Castellani on down, making pieces using it.




This one with Alpha & Omega.

Just another one of those covert ways of signaling you're Christian, like the fish, which in Greek is ichthys:

 

It is also the symbol of Pax Christ, a Roman Catholic peace and human rights movement.

I was seeing the outline of st Wilgefortis, a female saint who never existed. The 'concept' of Wilgefortis was based on a fully clothed Christ on the cross. With beard.

 

It’s just the lighting, the symbol is bright all over apart from the scratch.

 

is there in indent on the bottom making it look like twp legs?
i'm kinda seeing that...

 

No legs, it has different shadows on every picture!

 

I'm thinking Franciscan. Rope with three knots and San Damiano Cross

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Damiano_cross

 

You found it Jivvy! Thank you. Bronwen and OBB thought it was a cross but this shape didn’t feature on anything I could find.
Now what to do with it? Uncomfortable taking it down the scrapyard, can’t wear it. It could be framed up I suppose.

 

Poor her, didn’t want to marry a Muslim King, prayed and her prayers answered by sprouting a beard which ended the engagement and also her life as her father had her crucified. Never heard of her before, thanks AJ.