Lead Cross with Runes

Lead cross with inscription dated to the 13th century. The cross was found during an excavation in the Botanical Garden in Visby in 1976. Only two crosses of its kind have been found in Sweden. The text is a call for intercession for the living and is directed to the women that followed Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem, kept watch over his tomb and bought spices to anoint his body.

Inscription:

Intersede pro nobis semper et Sancta Maria

mater Iacobi apostoli et Sancta Maria Magdalena

et Salome et Sancta Ca(th)eri(na)?

Pray always for us both saint Mary,

James the apostle’s mother, and saint Mary of Magdala

and saint Catherine (?)

James the apostle refers to James the less, and his mother Mary. Catherine of Alexandria was a popular saint on Gotland, especially among the Fransiscans.

Gustavson, H., Snædal, T. 2004. Gotlands Runinskrifter 3. Visby Stad G 340 – G 351, samt G 392. Riksantikvarieämbetet. Available at: https://www.raa.se/app/uploads/2013/09/25_visby.pdf (Accessed 28 december 2025)

Sara Östlund