Der Schädel unter dem Kreuz
The skull under the cross

Author(s): Thomas Schwierz
Subject(s): Customs / Folklore
Published by: Fórum Kisebbségkutató Intézet
Summary/Abstract: A common depiction of a skull with crossed bones is found at the base of depictions of the cross. Here, the skull does not symbolize death, which would contradict the message of resurrection and salvation, but rather stands for life. As with many themes addressed in art that are not found in the Bible, the key to understanding this seemingly contradictory depiction lies in apocryphal writings, in this specific case in Ethiopian and Syriac writings from the 2nd to 6th centuries AD. This article explains the ideas underlying the skull beneath the cross.

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