Franks Casket
Type:
Boxes
Date:
ca. 700
Location or Findspot (Modern-Day Country):
United Kingdom
Medium:
Bone
Dimensions:
22.9 x 19 x 10.9 cm
Description:
The carving of the Franks Casket represents a period of transition soon after the adoption of Christianity in northern England. The learned patron, possibly a monk, was interested in the histories of Rome and Jerusalem, as well as the place of Germanic tradition within Christianity. The low-relief carvings in whale bone include both Anglo-Saxon runes and Latin inscriptions. In addition to mixing languages and alphabets, the casket combines disparate sources for its narrative imagery.
The front pairs the Germanic legend of Weland (or Wayland) the Smith and the biblical Adoration of the Magi. The left-hand end depicts the Roman foundation myth, with two infants suckled by a she-wolf. According to the runic inscription, "Romulus and Remus, two brothers, a she-wolf nourished them in Rome, far from their native land." On the rear panel, Titus captured Jerusalem (the Arch of Titus commemorates this same event). The Temple appears at the center of the scene and the defeated Jews flee on the right. The explanatory inscription reads "hic fugiant Hierusalim habitatores" (here the inhabitants flee from Jerusalem). It is written in Latin, mostly using the Roman alphabet, but the word for inhabitants is spelled out in runes: ᚪᚠᛁᛏᚪᛏᚩᚱᛖᛋ.
The front pairs the Germanic legend of Weland (or Wayland) the Smith and the biblical Adoration of the Magi. The left-hand end depicts the Roman foundation myth, with two infants suckled by a she-wolf. According to the runic inscription, "Romulus and Remus, two brothers, a she-wolf nourished them in Rome, far from their native land." On the rear panel, Titus captured Jerusalem (the Arch of Titus commemorates this same event). The Temple appears at the center of the scene and the defeated Jews flee on the right. The explanatory inscription reads "hic fugiant Hierusalim habitatores" (here the inhabitants flee from Jerusalem). It is written in Latin, mostly using the Roman alphabet, but the word for inhabitants is spelled out in runes: ᚪᚠᛁᛏᚪᛏᚩᚱᛖᛋ.
Relevant Textbook Chapter(s):
4
Repository and Online Resources:
• Read more about the Franks Casket on the website of the British Museum.
Image Credits:
© Trustees of the British Museum
