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Beautiful antique Spanish Catholic Pectoral cross/pendant made of cast bronze that I am told is from around the 1600s - 1700s.
It was made to represent a legendary cross brought by angels in the Spanish city of Caravaca to help a priest to perform Mass in front of Moorish king who conquered and occupied the city in the 13th century.
The city of Caravaca is called now "Caravaca de la Cruz" (Caravaca of the Cross) and the crosses representing that cross were made since the 14th century. Most of the Caravaca crosses made in the 17th - 18th centuries were very similar - it's a cross with two horizontal beans (so-called Patriarchal cross) with a Crucifixion on recto and praying priests ob verso. They are made in two parts with a space inside to carry relics. Most often the relics were very small chips from the True Cross of Jesus (true or not - who knows now?)
This cross was made of solid cast bronze. The crosses of exactly this type were made in Spain in the 1600s. I don't see any signs it was a fake or repro. This is a genuine antique Caravaca Cross that was purchased from a long time collector who travelled the world for 40+ years collecting mostly religious artifacts.
The cross is in good condition with some wear and patina. It is missing the rivet at the top to attach it to a necklace or chain.
It is roughly 5” tall and 2.5" wide.
