Cloisters Cross

The Cloisters Cross (also known as the Bury St Edmunds Cross), is a complex 12th-century ivory Romanesque altar cross or processional cross. It is named after The Cloisters, part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which acquired it in 1963.

The cross is usually said to have been carved in England between 1150 and 1160, although some scholars believe it is more likely to be central European. It is made from walrus ivory and measures 225⁄8 × 141⁄4 in. (57.5 × 36.2 cm). It includes highly detailed carvings on both sides and a number of inscriptions. The imagery features the crucifixion of Jesus and the symbols of the Evangelists. It is generally held to contain antisemitic images and texts, but this is subject to debate.