Gallen Cross-Slab (OF014-029152-)

Possible 8th-century cross-slab with a four-lined cross-of-arcs, also forming a cross pattée design, with small central hollow contained within a triple circle recently discovered from Gallen graveyard (OF014-029002-), Co. Offaly. The cross-of-arcs design may be based on the cross surrounded by a wreath, or on the XP monogram contained within a circle. The largest collection of this type of cross-slab comes from Gallen. Gallen abbey (OF014-029001-) stands in the centre of this graveyard that was built near the site of an Early Christian monastery (OF014-029008-) founded by St. Canoc in 492 AD. A group of early Christian cross-slabs (OF014-029003-) dating from the 8th/11th-centuries were uncovered along with the site of an early medieval church (OF014-029008-) during excavations in 1934-5 in a field to the north of the graveyard. Cross-slab has been moved to the National Museum of Ireland for safe storage. For more information, visit: https://maps.archaeology.ie/HistoricEnvironment/?SMRS=OF014-029152-