750/1000 Yellow Gold Open-Work Fine Occitan Cross

A stunning 750/1000 (18K) yellow gold Occitan cross.

We selected this lightweight "flat" design for its outstanding quality-to-price-to-size ratio. Despite its very modest gold weight, the piece has the visual presence of a 26 mm medal.

The Occitan cross (crotz occitana), also known as the Cross of Languedoc, is a type of cross that serves as the emblem of Occitania.

It is an equal-arm cross with four branches of the same length, bearing very little relation to the Latin cross, which symbolizes the crucifixion of Jesus and certain martyrs.

In heraldry, it is blazoned as a cross cléchée (branches shaped like key bits), voided (the field is visible through its branches), and pommetty of twelve (each point tipped with a small "apple" called a "pomette"). Its tincture is Or (gold/yellow) on a field of Gules (red). As a symbol, the twelve pomettes are often interpreted as representing the twelve Apostles - themselves twelve in reference to the twelve Tribes of Israel, which may in turn correspond to the twelve signs of the Zodiac, and so on.

Many historians today trace the cross's earliest appearance to Provence - specifically Venasque in the 12th century, according to Henri Rolland - or to the circle of the Viscounts of Marseille as early as the 11th century, per Antoine de Rufi. It may also date back to Guilhem I of Provence, known as Guilhem the Liberator, who defeated the Saracens at La Garde-Freinet in 972.

Dimensions: 26 x 28 mm without the bail and 26 x 32 mm with the bail.

Average gold weight: 1.40 grams.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to its open-work design, engraving is not available for this product.