Inventing the Celtic Cross

Inventing the Celtic Cross is a project that focuses on the emergence of large-scale sculptured crosses in the mid-nineteenth century as a revival of monumental stone sculpture made in early medieval Ireland and Britain. Designs for the modern Celtic cross were developed in an era when research on the past was colored by nationalism and the landscapes of Ireland and Scotland were marked by contested histories. In this context, Celtic cross monuments act as agents of cultural discourse and representatives of a shared medieval past that mediate present conflicts.

The project encompasses three research areas which together provide insight into the connections between communities and the social lives of Celtic cross monuments. Monument makers responded to demand for Celtic crosses and innovated designs for their elite patrons. Records of these relationships give evidence of some of the earliest Celtic cross monuments produced. Surveys of historic cemeteries in Ireland, Scotland and North America offer an overview of design development over a longer horizon. Documentation of medieval monuments by antiquarians provided the visual resources for Celtic cross designers. Historic memberships in learned societies show significant overlaps across these communities while the visual documentation in drawing, painting and photography framed the interpretations of past monuments, determining the value of the form in the present.

These webpages provide space to explore issues of monuments as markers of territorial authority, as claims on historic narratives, and as signifiers of cultural affiliation.