Bronze wheeled cross match mold discovered 10th century 43 years ago –

A bronze wheel cross dating to the 10th or 11th century was discovered west of Haveland in the German state of Brandenburg. This small devotional object is remarkable for its age, bearing witness to the early Christianization of the Brandenburg region, but most strikingly, it exactly matches the cast found 43 years ago.

The cross was discovered by volunteer archaeological monument conservator Juliane Rangnow during an authorized metal detecting survey. She found several artifacts from the same period at the site – coins, fragments of gilded jewelry and iron weapons. The mold it fits was unearthed in 1983 during excavations at Spandoslav Hill Fortress. It was discovered next to the remains of a wooden church and is one of the oldest Christian artifacts found in the area. Until now, no castings have been found there or anywhere else.

The cross is preserved and documented by the Brandenburg State Monument Conservation Office and the State Archaeological Museum (BLDAM). When precise measurements were taken, conservators realized that it might match the Spandau cast, which is now on display at the Museum of Prehistory and Early History in Berlin. When the two were compared, they were found to be a perfect fit.

Molds and crosses bear witness to the early Christianization of the area, one of the most fascinating periods in its history. In the early 10th century, the areas of today’s Berlin and Brandenburg, then inhabited by non-Christian Slavic tribes, came under the influence of the Kingdom of East Frankia (the later precursor of the Holy Roman Empire) through conquests. The new elite brought not only political reorganization but also new beliefs. However, evidence of this initial Christianization survives mainly in historical written sources, as most Slavic tribes apparently deeply rejected this new religion. In 983 they rebelled against East Frankish rule in the so-called Lutician Revolt and won political and religious independence for about 150 years. There was no sustained Christianization until the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, when the region finally became part of the Holy Roman Empire as the Margravedom of Brandenburg.

The mold and cross will be on display together at the Brandenburg State Archaeological Museum from January 24 to March 11.