ib bet " ▁is ▁ σ τ α υ ρ ό ς ▁st au ros , ▁found ▁in ▁texts ▁of ▁four ▁centuries ▁or ▁more ▁before ▁the ▁g osp els ▁and ▁always ▁in ▁the ▁pl ural ▁number ▁to ▁indicate ▁a ▁st ake ▁or ▁pole . ▁From ▁the ▁first ▁century ▁BC ▁it ▁is ▁used ▁to ▁indicate ▁an ▁instrument ▁used ▁in ▁execution s . ▁The ▁Greek ▁word ▁is ▁used ▁in ▁descri ptions ▁in ▁anti qu ity ▁of ▁the ▁execution ▁cross , ▁which ▁indicate ▁that ▁its ▁normal ▁shape ▁was ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁Greek ▁letter ▁t au ▁( Τ ). C lement ▁of ▁Alexand ria , ▁The ▁St rom ata , ▁book ▁VI , ▁chapter ▁ 1 1 Lu cian , ▁Tri al ▁in ▁the ▁Court ▁of ▁V ow els ▁▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁Pre - Christ ian ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁simplicity ▁of ▁the ▁design ▁( two ▁intersect ing ▁lines ), ▁cross - sh aped ▁in cis ions ▁make ▁their ▁appearance ▁from ▁deep ▁pre history ; ▁as ▁pet rog lyph s ▁in ▁European ▁cult ▁c aves , ▁d ating ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Upper ▁Pale ol ith ic , ▁and ▁throughout ▁pre history ▁to ▁the ▁Iron ▁Age . ▁Also ▁of ▁pre histor ic ▁age ▁are ▁numerous ▁variants ▁of ▁the ▁simple ▁cross ▁mark , ▁including ▁the ▁cru x ▁g amm ata ▁with ▁cur ving ▁or ▁angular ▁lines , ▁and ▁the ▁Egypt ian ▁cru x ▁ans ata ▁with ▁a ▁loop . ▁ ▁Spe cul ation ▁has ▁associated ▁the ▁cross ▁symbol ▁– ▁even ▁in ▁the ▁pre histor ic ▁period