# Crucifixion plaque

Crucifixion plaques are a type of Irish Early Medieval bronze sculpture consisting of a central panel of the still alive but crucified Jesus. He is surrounded by four smaller ancillary panels showing Stephaton and Longinus (the lance and sponge bearers) in the lower quadrants and two hovering attendant angels in the quadrants above his arms. The borders of most surviving plaques have cavities intended to hold nails or rivets, indicating that they were once attached to larger ecclesiastical objects, perhaps to processional crosses such as the 8th- or 9th-century Tully Lough Cross, book shrines or altarpieces.
Alongside high crosses, the plaques are among the earlier known examples of both figuration and the representation of the Crucifixion in Irish art. Eight of the nine known examples survive, although many more would have been produced. All were found in Ireland in the 19th and 20th centuries; presumably they would have been hidden by Irish clerics from Viking or Norman invaders. They are all made from cast bronze and are similar in size. Apart from one, they of openwork (ie the figures were formed from holes or gaps punched through the metal). They were found within a relatively small geographical area, with find spots ranging from the area between Clonmacnoise in County Offaly and Tynan, County Armagh. The plaques are all cast as single pieces and except for the early 8th century Rinnegan and the Lismore plaques, have a unifying border.
Based on their ornamentation and iconography, they are all dated to between the late 9th and 12th centuries. It is assumed that their format and iconography are based on designs found in classical Roman sculpture and in 8th and 9th—century illuminated gospels such as the Book of Kells and Southampton Psalter.

## Dating

The extent plaques were rediscovered in varying circumstances during 19th and 20th centuries, having presumably been hidden to protect them from invading Vikings or Normans. Based on their iconography and lack of Viking-influenced animal or zoomorphic designs, the majority are dated to the late 7th and 10th centuries, while a later examples such as the Clonmacnoise plaque contain vegetative decorations reminiscent of the 11th-century Viking Ringerike style.

## Format

The outlay of Crucifixion plaques was heavily influenced by imagery from early illuminated gospels, and it seems likely that the craftsmen had copies of these at hand. Examples include folio 200 recto of the Book of Kells, f.38 verto from the Southampton Psalter, miniatures from the Irish Gospels of St. Gall, and Durham Gospels, and the spear-bearer on the c. 1026 cumdach for the Stowe Missal.
Most of the plaques are bronze sculpted through openwork. The very early Rinnegan plaque showing evidence of now lost gilding. They all have a central panel depicting Christ crucified, surrounded by four ancillary figures. In all, the lower side panels show the biblical figures of Stephaton (the sponge-bearer at The Crucifixion) and Longinus (the lance-bearer), while the panels on either side of Christ's head show winged angles. The earlier plaques contain curvilinear Insular designs including spirals and interlace. The Clonmacnoise plaque has a small cross on either side of Christ's head.
* Center panel of a triptych with the Crucifixion and the Entombment, c. 1100, South Italian. The Cloisters, NYC
* Folio f.38v, Southampton Psalter, c. 9th century
* Folio f.38v, Southampton Psalter
* Panel on the upper arm of the 8th- or 9th-century Tully Lough Cross, NMI
* Detail of an illumination from the cumdach of the Stowe Missal
* Detail from a side of the Stowe missal
Christ is always depicted on a much larger scale than the other figures. He is usually bearded and has large open eyes. Apart from the Clonmacnoise plaque, his feet are turned away from each other. In six examples, Christ wears only a loincloth or skirt; in the Rinnegan and Clonmacnoise plaques, he has a full-length long-sleeved garment decorated with interlace patterns. The early examples contain Ultimate La Tène designs. In some plaques, such as that found in Cell Dalua, he wears a loin cloth or skirt, while in the Tynan plaque, his garment ends above his knees.
The reverse panels are plain and unadorned. Many contain multiple rivet holes, some of which (including the Clonmacnoise plaque) still contain nails. The rivit holes indicate that they may once have been attached to larger metal or wooden including metal altar crosses such as the Tully Lough Cross, wooden altarpieces or metal book shrines (cumdachs).

## Function

The plaques were most likely intended to decorate larger ecclesiastical objects such processional wooden crosses, book shrines or altar frontals (antependiums). This theory is supported by the number of similar mounds and inserts on contemporary or earlier altars and crosses. A similarly sized mount is positioned on the lower part of the 8th or 9th century Tully Lough Cross, while similar compositions can be found on, amongst others, the Ullard cross in County Kilkenny, the Cross of St. Columba and St. Patrick at the Abbey of Kells, the South Cross at Clonmacnoise, and a cross on Calf of Man island.
The archaeologist Peter Harbison favoured the idea that they were used as pax-plates (objects used for the Kiss of peace during mass) given the typical wear around Christ's head which he speculates was because they were passed between members of the clergy and congregation to be kissed. He further suggested that the plaques were produced by a single workshop, a theory refuted in 2014 by the archaeologist Griffin Murray who points out both their geographical dispersion and provenance (although all seem to have been produced in or around Southern Ulster) and differences when analysed under x-ray fluorescence.

## Groupings

In 1980, Harbison proposed the plaques as a distinct type. At the time, there were six known plaques which he grouped based on their iconography and form, including the pose of the biblical figures and angels, their borders and Christ's pose and clothing. He established that, except for the c. 800 AD Rinnegan plaque, they all dated to c. 1100 AD, while earlier archaeologists had argued that they dated from anywhere between the 9th and 12th centuries. Harbison divided the plaques into two broad groupings based on their find-spots and style, and argued that these examples originated from two individual workshops or traditions: in Clonmacnoise, County Offaly and in Dungannon, County Tyrone (in border counties around the North of Ireland).
Since Harbison's 1980 publication, the Dungannon Plaque is now localised to Tynan, County Armagh, near the find-spot of another plaque from Anketell, County Monaghan, while another example is now thought to originate from Lismore, County Waterford. Based on these findings, Murray further divided the plaques into the "Tynan", "Clonmacnoise", "Klllalon" or "Kells" groups and "others" (ie unlocalised either by find-spot or style).

### Clonmacnoise

Harbison grouped three examples into the Clonmacnois group, based on stylistic proximity to the Clonmacnoise Crucifixion Plaque, which he believed was the most accomplished and important of the extant Crucifixion plaques. That plaque takes its name from its find spot in the once important but now-ruined monastery Clonmacnoise, County Offaly. Based on iconography, technique and location on he the associated it with both the now lost, so called "Mayo Plaque" (today known only from a 1830's watercolour reproduction), and the unlocalised "Academy Plaque". Assuming that all three were produced within a relatively narrow date range, Harbison speculated that they were produced by a single workshop.
The group shares distinguishing elements when compared to other surviving examples. The angels in the Clonmacnoise group are static and stand upright on Christ's shoulders rather than in motion and hovering above in other examples. Stephaton and Longinus stand upright rather than crouching on bent knees. Christ's eyes in the Clonmacnoise and Mayo examples are formed from inlayed glass.
* The Clonmacnoise Crucifixion Plaque, 10th or early-11th century. h: 8.0 cm (3.1 in)
* Watercolour of a fragment of the lost Mayo Crucifixion Plaque. 1830s. Assumed height: 8.5 cm (3.3 in)

### Klllalon

The Killalon group consists of the 11th-century Killaloe plaque in the NMI and the 11th or 12th-century Kells Crucifixion Plaque in the British Museum. Like those in the Clonmacnoise group, the figures stand upright rather than kneel or hover. However Christ is barechested in both, wearing only a narrow loincloth.
* Crucifixion plaque from Killaloe, County Clare, NMI. 11th century.
* The Kells Crucifixion Plaque, British Museum. 11th or 12th century.

### Tynan

The Tynan grouping consists of the Tynan and Anketell plaques, thought to have been produced by a workshop based outside of Armagh town. The Anketell plaque was found in Emyvale, County Monaghan, around ten kilometres west of Tynan and 25 kilometres from Armagh. Both plaques are assumed to have been produced later than the other examples, given their resemblance to the figures on the crucified figure on Saint Mel's Cross and other confidently dated late 12th-century artefacts.
In both, Christ's head, hands and feet extend over the outer frame, and he is emaciated with clearly visible ribs. Longinus is crouched and holds a spear held diagonally against Christ's right side. The frames in both plaques are elaborately decorated and divided by semi-circular arches.
* The Anketell Crucifixion plaque, c. 1110. H: 8.0 cm (3.1 in). NMI, Dublin
* The Lismore plaque. Brass, h: 85mm. NMI

### Unlocalised

* Four plaques of unknown provenance, including three dated to the 12th century at the NMI.
* A lost plaque known only from a 19th-century watercolour reproduction.