High Cross

A High Cross is another type of ancient monument found in Scotland.

A high cross is, as the name implies, is a type of ancient Scottish monument that is shaped like a cross. A high cross, like many monuments, can vary highly in size, but there are many recorded cases of them reaching well above five meters. Typically, the cross arms of a high cross are in the top half of it, and are much shorter than the vertical arms. There is often a “circle” at the point where the horizontal and vertical arms intersect.

The high cross is not centralized to Scotland only, in fact, scientific analysis shows that throughout the early 8th century they were being created in Ireland. Only from the later 8th century onward did the design migrate towards Scotland. There does not seem to be any new examples of the high cross past the 12th century. Although, there has been a revival in interest for the high cross in contemporary times.

The same time period of migration for the high cross, also saw an evolution in its design. Originally, the high cross was constricted to geometric patterns, and a circle at its hinge only for support. Eventually, near the 10th and even 9th century, this had evolved into biblical scenes, inscriptions and the use of the circle as part of the design.

In Scotland, one of the most famous examples of a high cross is the Kildalton Cross, in the Inner Hebrides. It seems to have been carved in the latter half of the 8th century. By design it is similar to those found on Iona. Its current condition is considered by many to be the finest examples of a high cross in Scotland and even Europe.