Dated approx. 8thC-9thC
In 1875 a local antiquarian, Philip T. Gardner, donated the Ballycotton cross to the British Museum. It is a jewelled Celtic cross with a centre glass jewel with an inscription in Arabic, which may be interpreted as ‘As God Wills’, In the name of Allah or We have repented to God. It is held in the British Museum’s brooch collection. It is: “said to have been found in or near Ballycotton Bog” hence name.
“Gilt copper alloy cross brooch: equal-armed; cast, chip-carved, Anglo-Carolingian style animal in profile in each arm; central, flat, oval black glass setting inscribed in two lines of early Arabic script, `sha’a allah’, or ‘tubna lillah’ (or `bismillah’?); silver domed-head pseudo-rivet in a lobe at the inner and outer corners of each arm.”
© British Museum
