Code: NECK112

OBJECT STUDY

A cast brass Ethiopian Coptic cross pendant suspended from a heavily oxidized dark-silver oval cable chain. The pendant body reads as a diamond-pointed cruciform frame, two curved arms meeting at cardinal points, enclosing a raised central braid. The braided element runs vertically through the open lattice, cast in one piece with the surrounding structure. Granular bosses cluster at each of the four arm terminations and along the lower spike, irregular in size, consistent with lost-wax hand-casting traditions practiced across highland Ethiopia. The brass carries a warm, uneven patination, deeper in the recesses of the braid, lighter at the raised bosses where handling has burnished the surface. The chain links show pronounced oxidation, near-black throughout, with minor abrasion marks at the lobster-claw clasp. The bail is a triple-coil tube, soldered to the pendant crown.

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

• Pendant: cast brass, lost-wax technique, Ethiopian Coptic tradition
• Chain: oxidized silver-tone metal, oval cable link
• Closure: lobster-claw clasp, worn patina
• Total length: approximately 55cm
• Weight feel: moderate, pendant is solid at center braid
• Condition: aged, surface wear consistent with use