what was its significance in pre christian era?
In the European Bronze Age the cross symbol appeared to carry a religious meaning, perhaps as a symbol of consecration, especially pertaining to burial.
Pre-Christian
In the European Bronze Age the cross symbol appeared to carry a religious meaning, perhaps as a symbol of consecration, especially pertaining to burial.
what was ss christopher columbus? An American excursion liner on the Great Lakes where is this lake situated? The upper mid-east region of North America which religions are practiced in that continent? Christianity, Atheism,  Buddhism what are the symbols associated with the first religion? The cross are there emblems like that symbol? Yes
In the European Bronze Age the symbol appeared to carry a religious meaning, perhaps as a symbol of consecration, especially pertaining to burial. In the European Bronze Age the cross symbol appeared to carry a religious meaning, perhaps as a symbol of consecration, especially pertaining to burial As petroglyphs in European cult caves;  "four elements"  or the cardinal points, or the unity of a vertical axis mundi or celestial pole with the horizontal world;  In the European Bronze Age the cross was a symbol of consecration especially pertaining to burial.
Cross Cross Cross
Pre-Christian Pre-Christian Pre-Christian
In the European Bronze Age the cross symbol appeared to carry a religious meaning, perhaps as a symbol of consecration, especially pertaining to burial. In the European Bronze Age the cross symbol appeared to carry a religious meaning, perhaps as a symbol of consecration, especially pertaining to burial. Due to the simplicity of the design (two intersecting lines), cross-shaped incisions make their appearance from deep prehistory; as petroglyphs in European cult caves, dating back to the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic, and throughout prehistory to the Iron Age.
Also of prehistoric age are numerous variants of the simple cross mark, including the "crux gammata" with curving or angular lines, and the Egyptian "crux ansata" with a loop.

Speculation has associated the cross symbol – even in the prehistoric period – with astronomical or cosmological symbology involving 
"four elements" (Chevalier, 1997) or the cardinal points, or the unity of a vertical axis mundi or celestial pole with the horizontal world (Koch, 1955). Speculation of this kind became especially popular in the mid- to late-19th century in the context of comparative mythology seeking to tie Christian mythology to ancient cosmological myths. Influential works in this vein included 
G. de Mortillet (1866), L. Müller (186
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Cross [SEP] Pre-Christian
Speculation of this kind became especially popular in the mid- to late-19th century in the context of comparative mythology seeking to tie Christian mythology to ancient cosmological myths. Influential works in this vein included G. de Mortillet (1866), L. Müller (1865), W. W. Blake (1888), Ansault (1891), etc. In the European Bronze Age the cross symbol appeared to carry a religious meaning, perhaps as a symbol of consecration, especially pertaining to burial.