Cross

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For information on the Christian symbol, see Christian cross. For other uses,
see Cross (disambiguation).

A Greek cross (all arms of equal length) above asaltire, a cross whose limbs are
slanted
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each
other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and
horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire,
although the arms of a saltire need not meet at right angles.
The cross is one of the most ancient human symbols, and has been used by many
religions, most notably Christianity. It may be seen as a division of the world
into four elements (Chevalier, 1997) or cardinal points, or alternately as the union of
the concepts of divinity, the vertical line, and the world, the horizontal line (Koch,
1955).
Contents
[hide]

1Etymology

2History

3As markings

4Cross-like emblems

5Other noteworthy crosses

6As physical gestures

7See also

8References

8.1Notes

8.2Sources

9External links

Etymology[edit]
The word cross comes ultimately from Latin crux, a Roman torture device used
for crucifixion, via Old Irish cros. The word was introduced to English in the 10th
century as the term for the instrument of the torturous execution of Jesus as
described in the New Testament, gradually replacing the earlier word rood. Crux is
possibly derived fromPhoenician.[1] According to the Catholic Encyclopedia cross
does not come from crux but form the Latin curio, "to torment".[2]
History[edit]

Cross Hieroglyphics carved on the tomb of the vizier Ankhamahor

A famous Armeniankhachkar at Goshavank.

Due to the simplicity of the design (two crossing lines), cross-shaped incisions make
their appearance from deep prehistory; aspetroglyphs in European cult caves,
dating back to the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic, and throughout prehistory to
the Iron Age.
Prior to 2000 B.C. the cross symbol, , was already in use in ancient alphabets
(Paleo-Hebrew [], Canaanite, Phoenician) as the letter 'Tau' ('Taw'/'Tav') which
corresponds to the modern letter 'T' and meant 'Mark' (Its literal usage in the Torah
denotes a wound). It is probably derived from two sticks crossed to mark a place
similar to the Egyptian hieroglyph.[3]
Use of the cross as a Christian symbol may be as early as the 1st century, and is
certain for the 3rd century.[4] A wide variation of cross symbols is introduced for the
purposes of heraldry beginning in the age of the Crusades.[5]
The earliest depiction of the cross as a Christian symbol may be as early as 200 A.D.
when it was used to mock the faith in theAlexamenos graffito.
As markings[edit]
1600 BC marble sacral cross from the Temple Repositories of Knossos.
(Heraclion Archaeological Museum, Greece)
Written crosses are used for many different purposes, particularly in mathematics.

The addition (or plus) sign (+) and the multiplication (or times) sign () are
cross shapes.

A cross is often used as a check mark because it can be clearer, easier to

create with an ordinary pen or pencil, and less obscuring of any text or image
that is already present than a large dot. It also allows marking a position
more accurately than a large dot.

The Chinese character for ten is (see Chinese numerals).

The dagger or obelus () is a cross

The Georgian letters and are crosses.

In the Latin alphabet, the letter X and the minuscule form of t are crosses.

The Roman numeral for ten is X.

A large cross through a text often means that it is wrong or should be

considered deleted. A cross is also used stand-alone () to denote rejection.

Cross-like emblems[edit]
For variants of the Christian cross symbol, see Christian cross variants and Crosses
in heraldry.
Crosses as emblems and symbols
Picture

Cross name

Description

Ankh

Also known as the Egyptian Cross, the Key of the Nile,

an Ancient Egyptiansymbol of life and fertility, pre-dating t
appears in specifically Christian contexts, such as the crux

ndj, Crossndj
(hieroglyph)

An Egyptian Cross, pre-dating the modern cross. Uses for

"protector, advocate, avenger" 2 "homage to thee", (a fo
someone", "to converse", "to take counsel"

crossedsticks

Hieroglyph of two crossed sticks.

Basque cross

The lauburu.

Double Cross

Used by doctors and veterinarians as an introduction on m

"in nomine Dei" and followed by "rp": recipe [6]

the Sun
cross (or
"Bolgar cross")

Also known as the Bolgar cross, Sunwheel, solar cross

the Neolithic era and by ancient and contemporary Native
respectively Neopagan beliefs and the great Medicine Whe
a symbol of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at ri

left-facing () form. Thefylfot is a similar version.
Swastika

Archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments da

modern day culture of India, sometimes as a geometrical m
widely used in Eastern and Dharmic religions such asHindu
used all over much of the world without stigma, because o
Socialist Germany, the symbol has become stigmatized in

As a design element
Picture

Cross name

Description

Compass
rose

A compass rose, sometimes called a windrose, is a

figure on a compass, map, nautical chart or
monument used to display the orientation of the
cardinal directions and often appears as a cross
tapering to triangular points.

Crossed
keys

Symbol of the Papacy used in various emblems

representing the keys to heaven.

Crossed
swords

The crossed swords symbol ( at Unicode

U+2694) is used to represent battlegrounds on
maps. It is also used to show that person died in
battle or that a war machine was lost in action.
Two crossed swords also look like a Christian cross
and the mixed symbolism has been used in
military decorations. It is also a popular way to
display swords on a wall often with a shield in the
center

Dagger/Obel A typographical symbol or glyph. The term

isk
"obelisk" derives from Greek
(obeliskos), which means "little obelus"; from
Ancient Greek: (obelos) meaning "roasting

spit". It was originally represented by the

symbol and was first used by Ancient Greek
scholars as critical marks in manuscripts.
Four-leaf
clover

Used as a symbol for luck as well as a stand in for

a cross in various works.

Isometric
illusion

Crosses frame this cube that appears to be hollow

or solid and projected either inward or outward. A
similar design was photographed in a crop circle.
This design can be made by repeating the central
hexagon outward once on all 6 sides then erasing
some inner line segments and filling in the voids.

Skull and
crossbones

Traditionally used to mark Spanish cemeteries; the

symbol evolved to represent death/danger, poison,
and pirates.

Other noteworthy crosses[edit]

Crux, or the Southern Cross, is a cross-shaped constellation in the Southern
Hemisphere. It appears on the national flags of Australia, Brazil, New
Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea and Samoa.
The tallest cross, at 152.4 metres high, is part of Francisco Franco's monumental
"Valley of the Fallen", the Monumento Nacional de Santa Cruz del Valle de los
Caidos in Spain.
A cross at the junction of Interstates 57 and 70 in Effingham, Illinois, is purportedly
the tallest in the United States, at 198 feet (60.3 m) tall. [7]
The tallest freestanding cross in the United States is located in Saint Augustine, FL
and stands 208 feet.[8]
The tombs at Naqsh-e Rustam, Iran, made in the 5th century BC, are carved into the
cliffside in the shape of a cross. They are known as the "Persian crosses".
As physical gestures[edit]
Cross shapes are made by a variety of physical gestures. Crossing the fingers of one
hand is a common invocation of the symbol. The sign of the cross associated with
Christiangenuflection is made with one hand: in Eastern Orthodox tradition the
sequence is head-heart-right shoulder-left shoulder, while in Oriental Orthodox,
Catholic and Anglican tradition the sequence is head-heart-left-right. Crossing the
index fingers of both hands represents the number 10 in Chinese-speaking societies
and a charm against evil in European folklore (hence its frequent appearance

in vampire movies). Other gestures involving more than one hand include the "cross
my heart" movement associated with making a promise and the Tau shape of
the referee's "time out" hand signal.
See also[edit]

Astrological symbols -the cross symbolically represents matter in many of

these glyphs.

Astronomical symbols -the crossmark may have been added to Christianize

pagan god symbols.

Clech

Cross-ndj (hieroglyph)

Cross and Crown

Cross burning

Cross necklace

Crossbuck

Crossroads (mythology)

References[edit]