Crucifix with Skull and Crossbones Translation of writing on back

Hi,
I am trying to figure out what is written on the back of this crucifix - I have no idea what language it is. any ideas or info is great.
Also does the figure look a little alien in shape or is it just me?
thanks for looking
Mary

 

It is all Greek to me.

The IoXo (or whatever the o shaped letters are) is presumably the equivalent of INRI (Jesus Nazareth King Jews in latin). Any Greek cafes in your town?

It does look like gold.

 

Sure that's not Russian? Where's Fig?

 

The skull and cross bones is a reference to Golgotha - the hill of the skull - where the crucifixion reputedly took place.

 

Greek Orthodox cross. Bit of a long shot but you could try posting the pics on The Booksellers board, a few Greek scholars on there.

 

Russian Orthodox. Note the Cyrillic on the back.

 

Thank-you folks. I had thought Greek but will check out Russian Orthodox.
Mary

 

I can't easily make out what all of the individual letters are. Thus, am not certain of the language. Sorry about that -- I was looking at Old Church Slavonic, but that doesn't appear to be it. The letters are pretty stylized, so I could be wrong about that.

Fig

 

Inscription on the back reads - Save & Protect. I found this site with a cross that has the same inscription on the back.
http://www.romanovrussia.com/Russian_Faberge_Gold_Enamel_Cross.html
@Figtree3 you were correct about Church Slavonic according to the site.
Mary

 

See, I knew it was Cyrillic and not Greek, but that's as far as I got! Glad you found it, Cxgirl, and "Save and Protect" certainly fits the object! I think the alien figure is a skull and crossbones.

 

OK, so I guessed that correctly, even though I couldn't verify it by looking at the alphabet? Hm....

 

OK, I just looked at the link. The letters are much easier to see on that cross --

Fig