Ethiopia: Antique begin 20th century Ethiopian silver Coptic Handmade Neck Cross. 

Size : 4.6 cm long and 4 cm wide.

This is a very beautiful old handmade Ethiopian cross pendant made of Ethiopian silver done by highly skilled silversmith

collector's Coptic cross in Ethiopian silver is a display of good craftsmanship. In Ethiopia particularly among Orthodox Church followers, to wear a cross implied to be protected by the lord himself as well as to show that they are a devoted Christian.
Neck or pictorial crosses are tied round their owner’s neck with a piece of blue thread or cord, which was sometimes given to the wearer at baptism.
This particular cross pendant is old and has been used.

The Christian faith was initially adopted in the fourth century AD by King Ezana, in the ancient Kingdom of Askum (located today in Eritrea and the Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia). From that time, the Ethiopian Christians have worn their neck crosses as a statement of their faith. The Ethiopian cross varies regionally in design and they are either cast using the lost wax method or cut directly from their base metal. The crosses have a rich and varied array of influences which Angela Fisher describes in her wonderful book Africa Adorned:

“The oldest are simple Greek or Latin design. Those with flared arms show the influence of Coptic crosses from upper and lower Egypt; others, probably under Celtic influence, developed trefoils or decorative projections. With the ready supply of silver in the nineteenth century, the crosses became more elaborate; complicated openwork designs, or patterns of endless interwoven lines symbolising eternity became popular. Additional hinges and crowns show the influence of nineteenth century European medals. The star of David is worn by the Falasha, a small group of Jewish settlers living near Gonder. The four birds represent the doves of peace.”

The Ethiopian people wear the crosses not only as a religious emblem, but also as a sign of wealth. Invariably they are also sold during times of hardship.

A SUMMARY OF OUR AFRICA-GALLERY SELLING POLICIES.

Our Africa-gallery specialized in Ethiopian tribal art, collected and sell tribal used art from all over Africa and special from Ethiopia.

Our Gallery have a collection of authentic, original and traditional art from Africa. This collection including masks, statues, pottery, musical instruments, manuscripts, headrests and other antique, primitive art and various unusual items.

I hardly ever buy direct from Africa. All my items that I sell are old and (tribal) used. My objects come from European and American private collections, auction houses, fellow dealers and other collectors from around the world.

This site gives you an impression of our stock and activities. Authentic, museum quality African tribal art at wholesale prices

We strive to provide deeper public appreciation for high quality African art and to make it accessible to all collectors.

High quality masks, carvings, statues, fetishes, animal figures, ritual objects and bronzes displayed here will add beauty to any home and value to any collection.

In addition, an ever-growing demand for rapidly disappearing original African tribal art makes it a sound investment.

As long-time experienced collectors, we carefully select and authenticate every artifact. Shown here are original, high quality, hand-crafted pieces made of wood or bronze which can be yours at a fraction of gallery prices! Years of traditional use added distinction to many of them.

We guarantee the authenticity of every item and your complete satisfaction. We make every effort to research and document the history of each artifact.

In our gallery you will find a nice selection of our stock. If you find something that is not on the site, let us know. We always have a large stock of items that are not on our site.

Please let us know if you do not see items you want. We may be able to find them for you.

Stand - The stand is not included in the price, you can buy it via the "stands" button.

Payment - PayPal preferred. For other payment methods please contact us before bidding. 

Shipping - We ship worldwide. We try and get shipments out as quickly as possible after payment, usually shipping four times weekly. 

Combined shipping - For buyers of multiple items please email us when done shopping for your combined invoice with reduced shipping fees. For urgent deliveries we can arrange courier shipments via DHL (additional charges incurred to be covered by the buyer). 

Delivery – Delivery to most destinations is anywhere between 2 to 8 business days inside Europe and 16 to 21 business days to the rest of the world, after receiving our email confirmation that the item has been shipped. Parcels shipped from the Netherlands are sent using the Post NL and the parcel status is traceable online. 

Refunds & Returns – We are aiming for your complete satisfaction. If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase please return the item to us for a complete refund or exchange. No hassles, no questions asked. Refunds will be issued via PayPal or by Bank only. The shipping cost are not refund. 

Please Contact Us – For any questions, concerns, or clarifications before bidding on or purchasing an item. We are usually able to respond within 24 hours. To avoid spam filters please establish initial contact through the eBay messaging system. 

Thank you for visiting our site!

Kind Regards,

Gijs van Kuijk