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A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars intersecting each other at a 90° angle, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run diagonally, the design is technically termed a Saltire . The cross is one of the most ancient human symbols, and is used by many religions, most notably Christianity . It is frequently a representation of the division of the world into Four Elements (or Cardinal Points ), or alternately as the union of the concepts of Divinity , the vertical line, and the World , the horizontal line (Koch, 1955). HISTORY It is not known when the first cross image was made; after circles, crosses are one of the first symbols drawn by children of all cultures. There are many cross-shaped Incisions in European cult caves, dating back to the earliest stages of human cultural development in the Stoneage . Like other symbols from this period, their use continued in the Celt ic cultures in Europe. Other early images of crosses were found in the Central Asia n steppes, and some were found in Altay . The cross in the old Altaic religion called Tengriism symbolizes the god Tengri and the three-world cosmology; it wasn't an elongated "dagger" cross, instead resembling a Plus sign (+). The first Christian books from Armenia and Syria contained evidence that the cross originated with horsemen from the east, possibly referring to the first Turkic people. In old Armenian temples, some stylistic Turkic influences are found in cross symbols. Named ''animal'', the symbol was found in the plans of temples, with the pillars from above looking like an additional cross. AS MARKINGS Written crosses are used for many different purposes, particularly in mathematics.
A cross is often used as a Check Mark because it can be clearer, easier to create with an ordinary pen or pencil, and less obscuring of the text or image that is already present than a large dot. It also allows marking a position more accurately than a large dot. A large cross through a text often means that it is wrong or should be considered deleted. AS EMBLEMS AND SYMBOLS IN HERALDRY These crosses are ones used exclusively or primarily in Heraldry , and do not necessarily have any special meanings commonly associated with them. Crosses that are used in heraldry but also commonly in other contexts are not listed here. There are numerous other variations on the cross in heraldry. See Heraldry for background information. See also: Anchored Cross , Cross Barby (barbée) , Fylfot The semi-classic book "A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry" by James Parker (1894) is online, and contains much information about variants of crosses used in heraldry. IN FLAGS Several flags have crosses, including all the nations of Scandinavia , whose crosses are known as Scandinavian Cross es, and many nations in the Southern Hemisphere , which incorporate the Southern Cross . OTHER NOTEWORTHY CROSSES The Crux , or Southern Cross , is a cross-shaped a Constellation in the Southern Hemisphere . The tallest cross, at 152.4 meters high, is part of Francisco Franco 's monumental "Valley of the Fallen", the '' Monumento Nacional De Santa Cruz Del Valle De Los Caidos '' in Spain . SEE ALSO
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