"According to R. Solomon Jarchi, the Talmud, and Maimonides, when the
priest sprinkled the blood of the victim on the consecrated cakes and
hallowed utensils, he was always careful to do it in the form of a
_cross_. The same symbol was used when the kings and high priests were
anointed."--Faber's _Horæ Mosaicæ_, vol. ii. p. 188.
See farther hereon, Deane on _Serpent Worship_.
In _Persia_.--The trefoil on which the sacrifices were placed was probably
held sacred from its cruciform character. The cross ([+]) occurs on Persian
buildings among other sacred symbols. (R. K. Porter's _Travels_, vol. ii.)
In _Britain_.--The cross was formed by baring a tree to a stump, and
inserting another crosswise on the top; on the three arms thus formed were
inscribed the names of the three principal, or triad of gods, _Hesus_,
_Belenus_, and _Taranis_. The stone avenues of the temple at Classerniss
are arranged in the form of a cross. (Borlase's _Antiquities of Cornwall_.)
In _Scandinavia_.--The hammer of Thor was in the form of the cross; see in
Herbert's _Select Icelandic Poetry_, p. 11., and Laing's _Kings of Norway_,
vol. i. pp. 224. 330., a curious anecdote of King Hacon, who, having been
converted to Christianity, made the sign of the cross when he drank, but
persuaded his irritated Pagan followers that it was the sign of Thor's
hammer.
The figure of Thor's hammer was held in the utmost reverence by his
followers, who were called the children of Thor, who in the last day would
save themselves by his mighty hammer. The fiery cross, so well known by
Scott's vivid description, was originally the hammer of Thor, which in
early Pagan, as in later Christian times, was used as a summons to convene
the people either to council or to war. (Herbert's _Select Icelandic
Poetry_, p. 11.)