The center must carry life
A single upright cross grows into leaf, tendril, and sun-disk before any ornament is allowed to speak.
What Endures in Stone cross, vine, inscription, witness
Interlace makes memory visible
Knots repeat without a loose end, turning family names and village seasons into one continuous field.
Inscription gives the hand a name
Donors, makers, and dates remain in carved Armenian letters, modest enough to serve the whole panel.
Weather is part of the archive
Lichen, copper warmth, and undercut shadow are preserved as evidence, not polished away for novelty.