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From S.C. Munro-Hay, Excavations at Aksum (London: The British Institute in Eastern Africa, 1989)

TELLTALE POTS. While iconography on coins is a good indicator of the religious beliefs of the ruling elite, iconography on pottery—made by local craftsmen and used by the general public—is a better gauge for the religious beliefs of the masses. By the sixth century C.E., a large portion of the Kingdom of Aksum’s population had converted to Christianity. This is demonstrated by the number of Christian crosses that appear on pottery. A variety of crosses are etched on these drawings of four different Brown Aksumite ware bowls. One pot displays two crosses: a flared-tip cross below its rim and a simple beaded vertical cross at its base.