An Introduction to Irish High Crosses

This book provides a comprehensive look at the magnificent high crosses of Ireland, which belong to a period stretching from the seventh to the twelfth centuries. The most remarkable and attractive of all the monuments dotted around the Irish countryside, they are also of international importance in early medieval art as the crosses of Ireland and Britain are virtually the only elaborate free-standing monuments of the early Middle Ages in all western Europe. In this attractive and informative book, the salient features and individual characteristics of Ireland's high crosses are documented, and an illustrated catalogue of them is provided. The crosses are also brought to life with a large collection of photographs which illustrate the variety and complexity of these monuments and allow them to speak for themselves.