Ruthwell Cross

It is the most famous and elaborate Anglo-Saxon monumental sculpture,[2] and possibly contains the oldest surviving text, predating any manuscripts containing Old English poetry.

"[4] The cross was smashed by Presbyterian iconoclasts in 1642, and the pieces left in the churchyard until they were restored and re-erected in the manse garden in 1823 by Henry Duncan.

In 1887 it was moved into its current location inside Ruthwell church, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, when the apse which holds it was specially built.

The Ruthwell cross features the largest figurative reliefs found on any surviving Anglo-Saxon cross—which are among the largest surviving Anglo-Saxon reliefs of any sort—and has inscriptions in both Latin and, unusually for a Christian monument, the runic alphabet, the latter containing lines similar to lines 39–64 of Dream of the Rood, an Old English poem, which were possibly added at a later date.

"[7] It is clear to most scholars that the images and texts each form part of a sophisticated and unified programme, "almost an academician's monument,"[2] though different schemes have been proposed.

The largest panel on the cross (north side) shows either Christ treading on the beasts, a subject especially popular with the Anglo-Saxons, or its rare pacific variant Christ as Judge recognised by the beasts in the desert,[8] as suggested by the unique Latin inscription surrounding the panel: "IHS XPS iudex aequitatis; bestiae et dracones cognoverunt in deserto salvatorem mundi" – "Jesus Christ: the judge of righteousness: the beasts and dragons recognised in the desert the saviour of the world."

[9] On the south side is Mary Magdalene drying the feet of Christ, which is bordered by the longest Latin inscription on the cross: "Attulit alabastrum unguenti et stans retro secus pedes eius lacrimis coepit rigare pedes eius et capillis capitas sui tergebat" – see Luke 7:37–38 and John 12:3.

[10] Below this is the Healing of the man born blind from John 9:1, inscribed: "Et praeteriens vidit hominem caecum a natibitate et sanavit eum ab infirmitate," the Annunciation ("Et ingressus angelus ad eam dixit ave gratia plena dominus tecum benedicta tu in mulieribus" – “And an angel came to her saying, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

The inscription along the top and left side is read as: ᛣᚱᛁᛋᛏKristᚹᚫᛋwæsᚩᚾonᚱᚩᛞᛁrodi.ᚻᚹᛖᚦᚱᚨHweþræ//ᚦᛖᚱþerᚠᚢᛋᚨfusæᚠᛠᚱᚱᚪᚾfearranᛣᚹᚩᛗᚢkwomu//ᚨᚦᚦᛁᛚᚨæþþilæᛏᛁᛚtilᚪᚾᚢᛗanum//ᛁᚳicᚦᚨᛏþætᚪᛚalᛒᛁᚻbih[eald].ᛣᚱᛁᛋᛏ ᚹᚫᛋ ᚩᚾ ᚱᚩᛞᛁ ᚻᚹᛖᚦᚱᚨ / ᚦᛖᚱ ᚠᚢᛋᚨ ᚠᛠᚱᚱᚪᚾ ᛣᚹᚩᛗᚢ / ᚨᚦᚦᛁᛚᚨ ᛏᛁᛚ ᚪᚾᚢᛗ / ᛁᚳ ᚦᚨᛏ ᚪᛚ ᛒᛁᚻKrist wæs on rodi.

Hweþræ / þer fusæ fearran kwomu / æþþilæ til anum / ic þæt al bih[eald].

[18] He says Meyvaert has "satisfactorily explained" that the layout of the runes suggests "that the stone was already standing when the decision to add the runic poem was made.