Gosforth Cross

The Gosforth Cross is a large stone Anglo-Saxon cross in St Mary's churchyard at Gosforth in the English county of Cumbria. Formerly part of the kingdom of Northumbria, the area was settled by Scandinavians some time in either the 9th or 10th century. The cross itself dates to the first half of the 10th century.DescriptionThe Gosforth Cross has elaborate carvings which have been interpreted as representing characters and scenes from Norse mythology. The Gosforth Cross was first identified in 1886 by the amateur antiquarian Charles Arundel Parker in his book The Ancient Crosses at Gosford and Cumberland. He demonstrated that the cross showed scenes described in the Poetic Edda. Those include images identified as: Loki bound with his wife Sigyn protecting him. The god Heimdallr holding his horn. The god Víðarr tearing the jaws of Fenrir. Thor's failed attempt to catch Jörmungandr, the Midgard Serpent. The cross also has Christian symbolism, including a depiction of the crucifixion of Christ. The combination of Christian and Norse pagan symbolism on the cross may be evidence of the use of pagan stories to illustrate Christian teachings.