Maltese crosses (motif)

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Scope note
Crosses having four splayed arms; it is an eight-pointed cross comprising four deep V-shapes joined together at their apex, so that each arm has two points. The cross was originally the symbol of medieval Amalfi, a small Italian republic. The form has been in use since the First Crusade, when the eight points represented the eight facets of courage: loyalty, piety, honesty, bravery, honor, fearlessness, charity, and obedience to the church.
Maltese crosses
Accepted term: 29-Apr-2024