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A cross-shaped decoration — the dominant form for gallantry awards in Europe.
Also known as: Cross on a medal, Cross decoration, Military cross shape
Cross-shaped decorations descend from the badges of medieval military orders, which is a real historical line rather than a symbolic reading. The specific cross form usually identifies the award outright, since each system fixed its own.
A cross used as the shape of a decoration rather than as a device upon it, and the dominant form for gallantry awards across European honours systems.
Contexts: History
Descends from the badges of the medieval military orders, whose members wore a cross as the mark of the order — a documented line of descent rather than a symbolic interpretation applied afterwards.
Medieval orders onward
The particular cross form usually identifies the award: each system fixed its own, so a pattée, a Maltese cross and a plain Greek cross on a decoration point to different origins rather than to different levels.
In modern secular honours systems the cross form is retained for continuity rather than for religious content, and several states with non-Christian majorities use quite different shapes for the equivalent awards.
Reading a cross-shaped decoration as a statement of the recipient's faith is an error. It records the design lineage of the award.
A cross-shaped medal with four arms of equal length, the arms either flaring outward or ending straight, hanging from a ribbon.
Many cross-shaped decorations take the heraldic pattée form.