Cross Slab, Ramsey, Isle of Man

First half of second century

The associated carving at Ramsey of Loki killing Otter portrays the story in a crude and rough style. A figure crouches and throws a stone at a flattened shape of Otter, who has a salmon in his mouth. Further up is a horse, with a rectangular load on its back, the head missing due to a fracture of the stone. Also the interlace is separated into two sections. This interlace may have been influenced by the tangle of lines on the Jurby slab that possibly denote the dead dragon. If the interlace is connected to the dragon motif, then the fact that it is divided in two is reminiscent of the York grave slab, where the dragon is divided by the figure of a swordsman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return to Chapter 3, Ref. Plate 4

Cross Slab, Ramsey, Isle of Man.
Reproduced from the Art of the Manx Crosses with permission from the Manx Museum

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Text and photos © (unless otherwise stated)
1990-1 Shona E McAndrew