Crosses found in Adana Museum

The belief system, which is considered indispensable in the history of humanity, has not changed fundamentally, although it differs in every period. Beliefs took different forms and people wanted to carry them with them in every moment. The cross, which was used as a punishment tool in the Roman period, became a sacred symbol with the crucifixion of Jesus and the official declaration of religion in the Byzantine period. It had different meanings over time and took different forms according to the political power of the period. As a result of the acceptance of Christianity as the official religion, rites were held in churches on certain and special days. These rites, called "Liturgy", are divided into groups as empire, birth, death, baptism and eucharist (gratitude) ceremonies. In this study, the crosses found in Adana Museum and used in the eucharist ritual are discussed. The method was determined with questions such as "How were the crosses, which are in the exhibition and archaeological storage of Adana Museum, affected by the political and social life in their own time?", "How is this reflected in the art of metal?" and "How does it interact with other cultures?"; thus, an accurate cataloging and dating was made. Accurate information about the political, social and economic level of a period has emerged thanks to the artifacts unearthed during excavations. Therefore, the evaluation of eighty-five (85) crosses registered in the Adana Museum inventory in terms of metal arts and rites of the period was determined as a research topic in this study.