Tau head
Tau Cross
ca. 1650 - ca. 1700 (made)
ca. 1650 - ca. 1700 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a head of a carved wlarus ivory Tau cross made in ca. 1650-1700 perhaps in Constantinople. This head is formed of two half-dragons, their bodies conjoined in the centre. On acquisition the object was thought to be German or Scandinavian, and to date from the twelfth century. Later there were also thoughts of it being Rhenish and Spanish. However it was almost certainly made for the Eastern Church, and has been convincingly dated to a much later period. Comparisons can be made with analogous works in the Monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai, known to be from Constantinople, and thought to date from the second half of the seventeenth century. It was perhaps produced at the Ottoman Court.
Tau heads formed the tops of crosses or staffs in the shape of a T, the Greek letter ‘tau’, hence the name.
Tau heads formed the tops of crosses or staffs in the shape of a T, the Greek letter ‘tau’, hence the name.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Tau head (named collection) |
| Materials and techniques | Carved walrus ivory set with uncut gems |
| Brief description | Tau head, walrus ivory and gems, perhaps Constantinople, ca. 1650-1700 |
| Physical description | Head of a carved ivory Tau cross, formed of the heads and necks of two dragons, their bodies conjoined in the centre, and their heads twisted round underneath, with stylised decoration on their backs. On either side, in the middle, under a round arch, are the figures of a bishop saint with a staff and another saint, perhaps an Apostle, holding a book. Set originally with ten uncut gems, although two are now missing. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Bought from the Webb Collection for £10 in 1867. |
| Production | On acquisition the object was thought to be German or Scandinavian, and to date from the twelfth century. Later there were also thoughts of it being Rhenish and Spanish. However it was almost certainly made for the Eastern Church, and has been convincingly dated to a much later period. Comparisons can be made with analogous works in the Monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai, known to be from Constantinople, and thought to date from the second half of the seventeenth century. It was perhaps produced at the Ottoman Court. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This is a head of a carved wlarus ivory Tau cross made in ca. 1650-1700 perhaps in Constantinople. This head is formed of two half-dragons, their bodies conjoined in the centre. On acquisition the object was thought to be German or Scandinavian, and to date from the twelfth century. Later there were also thoughts of it being Rhenish and Spanish. However it was almost certainly made for the Eastern Church, and has been convincingly dated to a much later period. Comparisons can be made with analogous works in the Monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai, known to be from Constantinople, and thought to date from the second half of the seventeenth century. It was perhaps produced at the Ottoman Court. Tau heads formed the tops of crosses or staffs in the shape of a T, the Greek letter ‘tau’, hence the name. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 262-1867 |
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| Record created | October 15, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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