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|artifact name=Cross of Coronado
  
|artifact name=Cross of Coronado
 
|image=[[File:Cross.jpg|250px]]
  
|image=[[File:Cross.jpg|250px]]
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|culture =[[Spain|Spanish]]<ref name="Last Crusade">''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]''</ref> / [[Christianity|Christian]]<ref name="Lost Journal">''[[The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones]]''</ref>
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|origin date=Unknown
  
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|origin date=c. 16th century {{C|front}}<ref name="Lost Journal" /><br />c. 7th or 8th century {{C|back}}<ref name="Lost Journal" />
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|culture =[[Spain|Spanish]]
  
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|origin location=
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|discovery date=[[1912]]
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|discovery date=[[1912]]<ref name="Last Crusade" />
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|location=[[Utah]]
  
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|location=[[Utah]], [[United States of America|USA]]<ref name="Last Crusade" />
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|discoverer=[[Roscoe]]
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|discoverer=[[Roscoe]]<ref name="Last Crusade" />
−
|collector=[[National Museum]]
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|collector=[[National Museum]]<ref name="Last Crusade" />
 
}}
  
}}
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{{Quote|That cross is an important artifact, it belongs in a museum.|[[Indiana Jones]]|Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade}}
−
The '''Cross of Coronado''' was a jewel-encrusted golden crucifix with a chain; named for [[Spain|Spanish]] explorer [[Francisco Vásquez de Coronado]]. It was believed to contain a piece of the cross [[Jesus Christ|Jesus]] was crucified on.
 +
The '''Cross of Coronado''' was a jewel-encrusted golden crucifix with a chain; named for [[Spain|Spanish]] explorer [[Francisco Vásquez de Coronado]]. It was believed to contain a piece of [[True Cross|the cross]] upon which [[Jesus Christ]] was [[Crucifixion|crucified]].
   
 
==History==
  
==History==
  +
Although the cross would later become associated with the [[Spain|Spanish]] conquistadors, there was evidence to suggest that the artifact was originally a smaller brass or gold alloy crucifix from the 7th or 8th century thought to contain a relic of the [[True Cross]] in its center. It was connected to [[Emperor]] [[Justinian II]] and held an inscription that was nearly identical to that of the [[Crux Vaticana]] which predated it.<ref name="Lost Journal" />
−
The cross was given to Coronado in [[1520]] by the Spanish conquistador, [[Hernando Cortés]]. At some point it was buried alongside other artifacts in a cave in what would later become [[Utah]].
  
   
 
[[File:CrossOfCoronadoBack-TSWA.jpg|left|thumb|150px|The back of the cross.]]
  
[[File:CrossOfCoronadoBack-TSWA.jpg|left|thumb|150px|The back of the cross.]]
   
  +
Around the 16th century, the original cross was affixed to the back of a larger, more ornate, solid gold and pearl front piece attached to a golden chain.<ref name="Lost Journal" />
−
It was discovered in an excavation by [[Garth|Fedora]] and his [[Fedora's Gang|gang]] in 1912. A young [[Indiana Jones]] attempted to seize it and get it to a museum, but he was thwarted by Fedora's gang and their client, [[Panama Hat]]. Indy eventually regained the cross from Panama Hat in 1938 off the coast of [[Portugal]].
  
   
  +
In [[1520]], the Spanish conquistador, [[Hernando Cortés]] gave the cross to [[Francisco Vásquez de Coronado]] and sent him in search of the [[Seven Cities of Gold]] but Coronado lost it during his ultimately futile quest for treasure.<ref>''[[Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide]]''</ref>
−
He presented it to [[Marcus Brody]], who felt that it would be added to the Spanish collection at the museum.
  
  +
  +
At some point the cross was boxed and hidden away in a burial site within a cave complex in what would become the [[United States of America|US]] state of [[Utah]] and fell into legend as the "Cross of Coronado".<ref name="Last Crusade" /> Word that the conquistadores had explored the caves and buried a treasure there later caught the attention of 19th century miners who opened up new passages in their pursuit of gold.<ref name="Last Crusade novel">[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (novel)|''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' novel]]</ref>
  +
  +
Years later, [[Panama Hat]] hired [[Fedora's Gang|a gang of men]] led by [[Fedora]] to dig in the caves. In [[1912]], two [[Boy Scouts of America|Scouts]], a young [[Indiana Jones]] and his friend [[Herman Mueller|Herman]], stumbled upon the gang's looting and observed their discovery of the Cross in the caves. Recognizing the artifact, and holding a firm belief that it belonged in a museum, Jones sent Herman to get help while he attempted to seize the Cross out from under Fedora's men. However, Jones was caught in the act and chased back to [[Jones residence|his home]]. Although Herman brought the [[Sheriff]], the lawman saw to it that the Cross was returned to Panama Hat.<ref name="Last Crusade" />
  +
  +
[[File:Rphoenix.jpg|thumb|150px|The Sheriff took the cross from Jones.]]
  +
  +
When Panama Hat suffered financially during [[Great Depression|The Depression]], he sought out wealthy buyers for the Cross of Coronado. He was approached by a man (later suspected of being American industrialist and [[Nazi]] sympathizer [[Walter Donovan]]) whose offer came with the proviso that Indiana Jones be dead.<ref name="Last Crusade novel" />
  +
  +
In [[1938]], Jones – now a famous [[archaeologist]] who had made a number of failed attempts to retake the Cross of Coronado – infiltrated Panama's ship, the ''[[Vasquez de Coronado]]'', off the [[Portugal|Portuguese]] coast following a tipoff from a disgruntled employee. He retrieved the Cross from a safe but realized that he was being set up just prior to being captured.<ref name="Last Crusade novel" />
  +
  +
After recovering the Cross, Panama ordered Jones be thrown overboard. However, Jones broke free of his captors, seized the Cross and the action combined with rough seas caused an explosion that destroyed the ''Coronado''. Jones survived and returned with the Cross of Coronado to his job at [[Barnett College]] in [[New York]]. He presented the Cross to [[Marcus Brody]], who felt that it should be given a place of honor in the Spanish collection at [[National Museum|his museum]].<ref name="Last Crusade" />
  +
  +
==Behind the scenes==
  +
The Cross of Coronado is a fictional artifact invented for ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]''.<ref name="Last Crusade" /> During the development of the film's script, written by [[Jeffrey Boam]], the Cross of Coronado was originally the Cross of Cortés, given from [[Montezuma]] to [[Hernando Cortés|Cortés]].
  +
  +
In [[1520]], the real Cortés was in [[Mexico]] leading the [[Spain|Spanish]] conquest of the [[Aztec]]s while Francisco Vásquez de Coronado would have been a child of 10 or 11 back in Spain at the time, a situation which would have made it difficult for Coronado to receive the cross from Cortés, especially in person.
  +
  +
''[[The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones]]'', written from the perspective of [[Indiana Jones]], notes the similarity of the Cross of Coronado's inscription to that of the [[Crux Vaticana]] but inaccurately states that the Crux Vaticana was a gift of Justinian II (669 – 711) rather than [[Wikipedia:Justin II|Justin II]] (520 – 578), the [[emperor]] named in the inscription itself. Nevertheless, the book acknowledges that the Crux Vaticana is of the sixth century while the back of the Cross of Coronado is from the seventh or eighth century.<ref name="Lost Journal" /> This article attempts to write around the discrepancy.
  +
  +
During the early development of [[Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull|the fourth film]], [[Frank Darabont]]'s script ''[[Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods]]'' featured the Cross of Coronado, seen by a drunken [[Indiana Jones]] at the [[National Museum]] before he tries to steal back the [[Chachapoyan Fertility Idol]].<ref>''[[Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods]]''</ref>
  +
  +
There were plans by ''Icons'' in the mid-1990s to create a Cross of Coronado prop replica for a proposed ''[[Indiana Jones (franchise)|Indiana Jones]]'' licensed product-line called ''The Treasures of Indiana Jones'', so some concept art was made. However, ''Icons''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s plans ultimately didn't go ahead.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070513203642/http://www.throwmetheidol.com:80/grailcup.html Icons GRAIL CUP prototype] at [http://www.throwmetheidol.com THROW ME THE IDOL] {{C|Web archive}}</ref>
   
 
==Appearances==
  
==Appearances==
 
*''[[Indiana Jones Jr et le Fantôme du Klondike]]'' {{Mo}}
  
*''[[Indiana Jones Jr et le Fantôme du Klondike]]'' {{Mo}}
  +
*''[[Young Indiana Jones and the Lost Gold of Durango]]'' {{Mo}}
  +
*''[[Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi]]'' {{C|Indirect mention}}
 
*''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]'' {{Fa}}
  
*''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]'' {{Fa}}
 
*[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (novel)|''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' novel]]
  
*[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (novel)|''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' novel]]
  +
*[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989 junior novelization)|''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' 1989 junior novel]]
  +
*[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (junior novelization)|''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' 2008 junior novel]]
  +
*[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (comic)|''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' comic]]
 
*''[[Indiana Jones and the Sargasso Pirates]]'' {{Mo}}
  
*''[[Indiana Jones and the Sargasso Pirates]]'' {{Mo}}
 
*''[[Indiana Jones and the Army of the Dead]]'' {{Mo}}
  
*''[[Indiana Jones and the Army of the Dead]]'' {{Mo}}
  +
*''[[Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods]]'' {{C|Cancelled}}
   
 
==Sources==
  
==Sources==
  +
*''[[From Star Wars to Indiana Jones: The Best of the Lucasfilm Archives]]''
 
*''[[Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide]]''
  
*''[[Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide]]''
 
*''[[The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones]]''
  
*''[[The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones]]''
  +
*''[[The Greatest Adventures of Indiana Jones]]''
  +
*''[[Top Trumps: Indiana Jones]]''
  +
  +
==Notes and references==
  +
{{Reflist}}
 
[[Category:Artifacts]]
  
[[Category:Artifacts]]

Revision as of 22:32, 30 July 2020

"That cross is an important artifact, it belongs in a museum."
―Indiana Jones[src]

The Cross of Coronado was a jewel-encrusted golden crucifix with a chain; named for Spanish explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado. It was believed to contain a piece of the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified.

History

Although the cross would later become associated with the Spanish conquistadors, there was evidence to suggest that the artifact was originally a smaller brass or gold alloy crucifix from the 7th or 8th century thought to contain a relic of the True Cross in its center. It was connected to Emperor Justinian II and held an inscription that was nearly identical to that of the Crux Vaticana which predated it.[2]

CrossOfCoronadoBack-TSWA

The back of the cross.

Around the 16th century, the original cross was affixed to the back of a larger, more ornate, solid gold and pearl front piece attached to a golden chain.[2]

In 1520, the Spanish conquistador, Hernando Cortés gave the cross to Francisco Vásquez de Coronado and sent him in search of the Seven Cities of Gold but Coronado lost it during his ultimately futile quest for treasure.[3]

At some point the cross was boxed and hidden away in a burial site within a cave complex in what would become the US state of Utah and fell into legend as the "Cross of Coronado".[1] Word that the conquistadores had explored the caves and buried a treasure there later caught the attention of 19th century miners who opened up new passages in their pursuit of gold.[4]

Years later, Panama Hat hired a gang of men led by Fedora to dig in the caves. In 1912, two Scouts, a young Indiana Jones and his friend Herman, stumbled upon the gang's looting and observed their discovery of the Cross in the caves. Recognizing the artifact, and holding a firm belief that it belonged in a museum, Jones sent Herman to get help while he attempted to seize the Cross out from under Fedora's men. However, Jones was caught in the act and chased back to his home. Although Herman brought the Sheriff, the lawman saw to it that the Cross was returned to Panama Hat.[1]

Rphoenix

The Sheriff took the cross from Jones.

When Panama Hat suffered financially during The Depression, he sought out wealthy buyers for the Cross of Coronado. He was approached by a man (later suspected of being American industrialist and Nazi sympathizer Walter Donovan) whose offer came with the proviso that Indiana Jones be dead.[4]

In 1938, Jones – now a famous archaeologist who had made a number of failed attempts to retake the Cross of Coronado – infiltrated Panama's ship, the Vasquez de Coronado, off the Portuguese coast following a tipoff from a disgruntled employee. He retrieved the Cross from a safe but realized that he was being set up just prior to being captured.[4]

After recovering the Cross, Panama ordered Jones be thrown overboard. However, Jones broke free of his captors, seized the Cross and the action combined with rough seas caused an explosion that destroyed the Coronado. Jones survived and returned with the Cross of Coronado to his job at Barnett College in New York. He presented the Cross to Marcus Brody, who felt that it should be given a place of honor in the Spanish collection at his museum.[1]

Behind the scenes

The Cross of Coronado is a fictional artifact invented for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.[1] During the development of the film's script, written by Jeffrey Boam, the Cross of Coronado was originally the Cross of Cortés, given from Montezuma to Cortés.

In 1520, the real Cortés was in Mexico leading the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs while Francisco Vásquez de Coronado would have been a child of 10 or 11 back in Spain at the time, a situation which would have made it difficult for Coronado to receive the cross from Cortés, especially in person.

The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones, written from the perspective of Indiana Jones, notes the similarity of the Cross of Coronado's inscription to that of the Crux Vaticana but inaccurately states that the Crux Vaticana was a gift of Justinian II (669 – 711) rather than Justin II (520 – 578), the emperor named in the inscription itself. Nevertheless, the book acknowledges that the Crux Vaticana is of the sixth century while the back of the Cross of Coronado is from the seventh or eighth century.[2] This article attempts to write around the discrepancy.

During the early development of the fourth film, Frank Darabont's script Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods featured the Cross of Coronado, seen by a drunken Indiana Jones at the National Museum before he tries to steal back the Chachapoyan Fertility Idol.[5]

There were plans by Icons in the mid-1990s to create a Cross of Coronado prop replica for a proposed Indiana Jones licensed product-line called The Treasures of Indiana Jones, so some concept art was made. However, Icons's plans ultimately didn't go ahead.[6]

Appearances

Sources

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones
  3. ↑ Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade novel
  5. ↑ Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods
  6. ↑ Icons GRAIL CUP prototype at THROW ME THE IDOL (Web archive)
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