OneGuyFromBarlick

Not St Patrick and not in America but yes it is a replica standing next to the man who made it. It's now in the general location of the original. Not an Irish saint but the original was made by Irish monks. Where might it be and why is it especially important in understanding how such crosses were designed and made?

Is the Cross in Somerset Tize?

No, Cathy, it's not connected with me or where I live. It's a replica which is now at the location of the original and on view for visitors. Parts of the very old original are also on show. It's not in Ireland but is in a well-known but remote place where Irish monks lived about 1400 years ago.

Is the concrete replica of St John's Cross on Iona?

Skellig Michael?

I’m torn between the St. Columba Cross and the St. John Cross. Isle of Iona.

Wendy's got it with the St John's Cross on Iona, the island off the south-western coast of Mull in the Inner Hebrides. It was deliberately broken down in the 1600s and some parts disappeared. Later it was put back together with copper dowels and concrete replacing the lost bits. Then in 1951 it blew down in a gale, was repaired but fell down again in 1957. It was decided to make a replica and this was entrusted to George Mancini, a well-established bronze founder, based in Edinburgh. He's the man in the photo.

But there's more of interest in the story of this cross. Recent work on it revealed something special about it's structure and it's now realised that this was probably the first cross to have the modification and led to all subsequent crosses of the same type being made in the same, improved way. Can you tell me what it was?

Is it pre stressed concrete? As used in lintels...

I don't know, Kev, but that's not what I'm looking for. But you're getting close because you're right that it concerns the structural integrity rather than the design. Oh, and it was a modification that began in the early days of the Cross.

In my opinion the circle acts as a truss supporting the arms of the cross. A bit of triangulation to give structures strength.

Spot on, Plaques! The original cross didn't have the circular pieces but in its early days it broke up and was rebuilt with the circle to strengthen it as you describe. Those curved pieces are made out of a different rock from the rest of the cross. Others recognised the value of the strengthening pieces and all subsequent crosses of this type have them. More details are in this magazine link, towards the end of the article - but the whole article is worth reading (and its an excellent magazine!). Current Archaeology magazine

Wonderful Ken and a good article as well.

I like the fact that the archaeologists identified the type and origin of the rock used for the cross...
`The shaft and the upper arms are carved from greenish chlorite-schist, probably from the Loch Sween area of Argyll and Bute, some 50km south-east of Iona. The finial of the top arm and the only surviving fragment of the ring are made of silver-grey mica-schist from the Ross of Mull, the long peninsula to the south-west of Mull that is only separated from Iona by a short, narrow sea channel.'

What is it?

An angle-of-inclination-onometer. Similar to a sextant but made as a heavy duty model for engineers to bolt to their lathes.

Sorry Graham. Very close to the function but not the use.

Is it a part of a gun sighting mechanism?

Is it for setting the correct angle for sharpening chisels?

I have to give it to Kev even though he has it wrong. It would be unfair to do otherwise. It's a goniostat and was used extensively with ornamental lathes for sharpening ivory cutters and other small cutting tools for exotic woods which demanded very precise shapes and cutting angles. Quite exotic, very well done Kev.

I was sure Tiz was right!

Far too small Graham. The cutters are tiny. Try this one, what is it?

Is it an old cheese slicer, without it’s handle?

Sorry, no Cathy.

There's a deathly hush. It's a patent fitting for a reciprocating bearing that picks up oil from a wick every time it passes it. Yes I know, far too esoteric!



What's this? (I knew that would cheer you up!)

I have one of those....