"A spear, overlaid with gold," was made into a cross by attaching a transverse bar, on top of which was a wreath of gold and precious stones containing the Chi-Rho, or
Christogram; hanging from the crossbar was an embroidered cloth laden with precious stones.
Constantine indeed wielded
christograms primarily as representations of imperial and military power.
The idea was repulsive." Early Christians used other symbols such as the fish, the anchor, and various forms of
christograms (combinations of the first letters of Jesus Christ in Greek).