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Concept
Cross potent
Summary
A cross potent (plural: crosses potent), also known as a crutch cross, is a form of heraldic cross with crossbars at the four ends. In French, it is known as croix potencée, in German as a Kruckenkreuz, all translating to "crutch cross".
Potent is an old word for a crutch, from a late Middle English alteration of Old French potence "crutch" The term potent is also used in heraldic terminology to describe a 'T' shaped alteration of vair, and potenté is a line of partition contorted into a series of 'T' shapes.
In heraldic literature of the 19th century, the cross potent is also known as the "Jerusalem cross" due to its occurrence in the attributed coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. This convention is reflected in Unicode, where the character ☩ (U+2629) is named CROSS OF JERUSALEM. The name Jerusalem cross is more commonly given to the more complex symbol consisting of a large Greek cross or cross potent surrounded by four smaller Greek crosses.
The "cross potent" shape is found in pottery decorations in both the European and the Chinese Neolithic. In Chinese bronze inscriptions, the glyph ancestral to the modern Chinese character 巫 "shaman, witch" has the shape of a cross potent, interpreted as representing a cross-like "divining rod" or similar device used in shamanistic practice.
The cross potent as a Christian cross variant is used on Byzantine coins of the 7th century, under the Heraclian dynasty, mostly as a "Calvary cross potent", i.e. a cross potent standing on a number of steps. A Tremissis of Heraclius, dated c. 610–613, also shows the cross potent without the steps. A cross potent, or cross patty, is already shown on a Tremissis of Theodosius II (first half of the 5th century).
File:Tremisse di teodosio II, 402-450 dc, costantinopoli.jpg|Tremissis minted under Theodosius II (r. 402–450)
File:Tremissis - Visigoti per Maggioriano - RIC X 3747-9.jpg|Visigothic tremissis (5th century)
File:Impero romano d'oriente, eraclio con eraclio costantino, emissione aurea, 613-638, 02.JPG|Calvary cross potent minted under Heraclius (c.
Official source
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