ANTIQUE 1880-1890s STERLING SILVER 84 RUSSIAN ORTHODOX OLD BELIEVERS LARGE CROSS

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ANTIQUE 1880-1890s STERLING SILVER 84 RUSSIAN ORTHODOX OLD BELIEVERS LARGE CROSS:
$79.00

Large silver Russian Orthodox \"Old Believers\" Cross pendant. Well preserved antique condition. Sterling silver of the Imperial Russian origin c. 1880s-1890s, bears the \"84\" silver hallmark, inlaid with partially preserved white and green enamels (\"the color of the life-giving cross\"), covered with patches of silver patina. Byzantine Russian Orthodox cross pendant featuring simple design and rich symbolic meaning. The necklace loop appears to have been repaired by a master silversmith long time ago, but is structurally sound and strong, and allows wearing the Cross as a necklace. The Cross is slightly bent, scratched and worn out due to its age and wearing. Authentic artifact from Europe. 100% sound and wearable.
Exact origin is determined based on the Imperial Russian Kostroma city mark (small ship next to the 84 hallmark) known to be used in 1880s-1890s. Kostroma city is a part of the famous Russian \"Golden Ring\", a ring of ancient cities and towns northeast of Moscow with the most beautiful medieval Orthodox monasteries, churches and cathedrals with golden \"onion-like\" domes.
The Cross pendant is decorated with the vine-like ornaments serving as a symbolic representation of a new growth coming from the Life-Giving Cross, and a reminder of Christ\'s preaching according to the Saint John\'s Gospel: \"I am the vine; you are the branches\" (John 15:5).
The obverse of the cross pendant bears aByzantine-like Suppedaneum cross surrounded by floral, vine-like decorations, and several inscriptions with Cyrillic letters. The Byzantine three-bar cross is used in the Orthodox and some Eastern Catholic churches. Such a cross has three horizontal crossbeams: the top one represents the \"INRI\" nameplate, and the bottom one, a footrest.
The top crossbar end bears an inscription in Church Slavonic representing the \"INRI\" nameplate, whereas the left and right side ends of the horizontal crossbars bear the two abbreviations forming the Sacred Name of Jesus Christ, as the \"IC XC\" Greek Christogram.
An image of the skull, or Adam\'s head in the bottom part of the Cross refers to Golgotha (Calvary), the elevated site where Jesus was crucified, which the Bible says means \"the place of the skull\" in Hebrew. An ancient tradition of Catholic and Orthodox Churches held that it was also the burial place of Adam, thus symbolizing the ultimate victory of Christ over sin and death.
The reverse of the cross pendant bears several two-letter abbreviation with Cyrillic letters, likely maker\'s mark or a trademark of the silversmith shop, the \"84\" hallmark of sterling silver, which was the Imperial Russian standard for silver based on the ancient \"zolotnik\" unit, and the city mark (Kostroma, 1880s-1890s).
Please examine all photographs carefully and do your own research if necessary. Please note that photographs are an important part of the item\'s description. The U.S. quarter coin, measuring meter, and decorative stone are not for sale, and are photographed with the item in order to provide a size reference and artistic background.Please ask all questions before making a purchase.There are no guarantees with the listing because most items are original artifacts that are quite old. All items are sold \"as is\" with no returns because of a change of mind offered. Shipping and handling is free for the continental US. International buyers, please ask me for a shipping quote prior to buying.Please note that customs regulations differ from country to country, and it is a buyer\'s responsibility to ensure that any customs fees or other duties collected by the buyer\'s country are paid and satisfied in full.