Terror and History on the Lid of the Franks Casket

It was once a common misperception that the Franks Casket (sometimes known as the “Auzon Casket” owing to its nineteenth-century resurfacing in the village of Auzon, Haut-Loire) was so called because it was a gift bestowed to someone living in the Frankish empire after having been carved by adroit hands out of whalebone ivory somewhere in eighth-century Northumbria.1 Further confusion might arise if one mistakenly believed it to be an artifact of Frankish artistry when its provenance is decidedly Northumbrian. The namesake for this treasure in fact comes from the nineteenth-century antiquarian who donated it to the British Museum in 1867, Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks (1826–1897). Yet the purpose of the present essay is to propose that this ornate object may have indeed passed from Northumbria to Francia, intended as a gift.2 In particular, I will propose that the recipient was (or was intended to be) the Frankish Benedictine monk, Eigil (also called Aeigil or Egil), fourth abbot of Fulda (750–822), and that his identity is carefully encrypted on the lid.The lid, like so many of the other enigmatic panels, has been heavily scrutinized over the last one hundred and fifty years or so. It is the most damaged and thus the least complete of the five. Catherine Karkov explains, “With the exception of the lid, the design of each panel is similar: a narrative scene or scenes surrounded by a lengthy identifying inscription with additional labels.”3 While it likely once consisted of three interlocking pieces (and probably additional runic or Latin inscriptions), the single extant panel depicts a band of heavily armed warriors behind a broken shield wall, some in mail coats and padded shirts, driven back by a lone archer positioned next to a central disc where a metal fitting would have once existed. Two naked figures, one above the disc and one below it, could represent those fallen during battle; another indistinct figure crouches next to one of the dead. Balls possibly representing hail rain down as an archer singularly defends a fortified structure surrounding a “ciborium-like”4 enclosure containing another figure who is often interpreted as a woman.5 The archer's arrows travel in precise and sometimes improbable directions around the scene. Two arrows are lodged in the shield of a forwardly advancing warrior; another is directly poised to hit his head; one has pierced the heart of a fallen warrior. The archer's bow is drawn with another arrow ready to be loosed, while yet another rests by his foot. A final arrow travels inexplicably upward around the left side of the disc. Leslie Webster's description of the scene accounts for a few more of the prominent details: “Behind the archer, beneath an arch representing perhaps a house or a sanctuary, a female figure proffers another arrow. Above her head and beneath her feet are linked bird- and beast-heads, a long-standing protective motif in Germanic art.”6Above the archer's shoulder lie five cryptic runes from the fuþorc alphabet which spell ægili. This inscription could function as a titulus identifying the bowman or, alternatively, provide commentary for the scene presented (ægili is most closely related to the Old English term egesa or egsa meaning, “terror, fear, horror”).7 Some, though not all, of the casket's panels have readily identifiable scenes: Weland the Smith's imprisonment, the Adoration of the Magi, the nursing of Romulus and Remus by the she-wolf, Titus and the Fall of Jerusalem. But there exists no clear literary or historical source for the scene represented on the lid.Some of the earliest twentieth-century studies of the lid attempted to connect the inscription and violent imagery with Homeric myth, that could be as the Germanic of the with the panel possibly an in the when and during the of While the a of from and with its for the has have been believed the figure to be the who the hands of his in after the of I was an was as a of the of the in as with the of of a archer is in the of the on from that this is the though it is not clear the could that the enigmatic of the Franks Casket of its imagery is of and Germanic the by While I that the lid the figure archer and of the of his this a as the of the panel which would have been to the as would and its and its essay will that of the be by its and and the that its imagery historical A to the is in a that the could directly the intended recipient of the In to Eigil of Fulda as a as of the I will that the imagery on the lid, with its of may the of the of Fulda which in and in the and of the of its most over a a violent a band of warriors and a of by in which the and of Fulda was many during his a to the or who the a to and a of his Eigil would have been a when the of yet to be the for this in Frankish in his was likely for the to during those The lid thus the and and may have to the abbot who to be for the of and and Fulda as an of and a for the of and Northumbria and the Frankish some may it to a this enigmatic I will this by that purpose is not of that might to an to to one of a as with one no more its In the of the Franks the identity of its intended or the panels and that to have of the imagery as while most have a of the Germanic and of this scene. But as as I have a of the lid as a of and historical This will a with the of five runes the lid to and arrows and that would have been during the the earliest of the its and during the and the abbot Eigil who it is of and to a for from the of a to Leslie and the is to in the or The of its and it in in the a the pieces of the from a in to his the of the house the as a for It was in a one of the was for and the been and by a thus its there Augustus Franks its pieces for from a in in In the British of Sir his with the in his Franks to and the of a carved out of It is the most of that the British Museum the to the Franks the pieces to the years some in the the panel was in the and by a was to the Museum in years after his The of the lid have been of the of the of the lid are with that scene to as for the A of be with and the structure above the figure on the the as I will the archer figure to with the are with a of with its and has out that the structure on the lid from and a from In the motif over the out that the which the a to the of the in the the beneath the figure closely one an of on of the on the to which is likely a of there are and to be the on the lid, the Weland and Adoration of on the and the back Fall of the the and the in a and of the over the and the and the of the and back This in Webster's that the of the of other the that and and it may be that the of a Germanic out of perhaps a is the panels if the lid in an and historical as be with the and The from a of the is to and a as as a will with the of the to the the the five runic that the lid is to be with a The runic the ægili. that the of the inscription a to the identity of the archer that be as a of Germanic “terror, fear, as often from readily the with as in the Old with and Yet have a with the five in is to be as a of the bowman or perhaps an a the might the to as a or in the of the has an to the of the an or final to that the could be an of a Germanic to and in earliest a of which of the a few in is an and in the of the this that the runes is that the has been It could as as the in the in a like the in on many thus its The inscription could be on the lid as as the or the of the of the a of or this as a as This not to was to the that the recipient might be who to the with the though believed the scene could as the of someone other the have for in an to the in a no one with the in the in and the Franks as with who the of the and the Frankish are was known to have Francia, and Northumbria during his But are not with the exception of in no the for the of the once that the to or present his that the side panel and is where the in But the and the to English to the British when to that the was a of and the of and studies that the to the so to the in the that that the carved an additional or to the of the in the of a or the of the some The of Old English egesa and egsa as “terror, fear, and of The egesa and the related in on three by his in as the has his as to if when is to his from those who would while In the of egesa is of an of which or a The to after his is in of on the of the the of the was to the The of the is most as of or its to with so many of the and its with that below it and around In this the that as one of the casket's of there is a the as the casket's in a single the and the of and of in the a of I will in the next Latin in to the in in a has a in as have from a the term to the a likely a few after the of the with its scene of is may the armed warriors on the lid of the Franks Casket and the known as the It is that as a of identifying and perhaps more as is the with that on the of The term would have in Northumbria and likely in as which was as a for the of the who to it and the of the archer the Franks Casket to more closely the and of eighth-century as Leslie has with the and to archer's In on a and the of the or The eighth-century are those from and the The bow is drawn and below the and above the panel which depicts the of and her The archer's directly above the that the a archer was in and It was not on the of and arrows that this the of has in this the archer is a decidedly with the heavily and in of this The arrows in this the or from the and and a eighth-century of I will of most closely with the and with the of and the of surrounding the archer on the figure be interpreted in or studies the archer as having some interpreted the figure as like the who the in the In the are as by who the have arrow to the to in the the The of as in and and the of the and that arrows the of the or the of the that represent not the of the the of This is in the of of as abbot of Fulda in that for arrows are of to the archer to a who the of his out that one of the on the lid of the to have an arrow in the the archer was a an or of This be the as the archer his would have been to as or would to the least once a A might be the by the of to In and that was pierced by the arrow of the to the that an arrow be the of in her of the lid, as of a to the to the it as of the of the to of of the in and in the or in the for the the in and an in out that the of the which as to the no be a to this if the archer to be a for a is to the of the and the of the though the and it is not to that the of the Franks Casket would have been with many of the as the of the there is with the motif of which the of and the of In his of the on the panel of a in the (or for the of the which has in three that the for this the in his his of by the of The as the has called by has like a has the of his and like a which to the as was on in which his as a in in in and from The called from the from the of been of like a in the of his and as a in his commentary this as to have many arrows which are not arrows are the and who over the is the single from many and the from many in his that in a so that in the of a the with an in the that one of the the that was the the of the in to as a gift to the the this to which that is the thus a and for of the Franks Casket would have been armed with While the perhaps more with when in this closely the arrow imagery on the lid might with the and Adoration imagery on the The lid the of below it, in the the and for the archer who the above it, of as and have with has the archer panel is not I would the could be with to the of the Franks as abbot of Fulda was the of as for In other the the and the to have an in the The of in a in in in A in in the of the the from the of The arrow is the of as in the of arrow because the of will not to will The arrow is the of the as in the of the arrow is the of the for and the of the will his arrow is a clear as in the from a that from an in arrows are the of as in the the arrows of the that the of the are the archer and the of his the lid a or an the and it is a clear of and a of and that would have with and most closely with the of in the In in eighth-century Northumbria there an of and arrows the the of and of (or as his in the of the the of and While as the Franks Casket are more a or for the to the which the of that somewhere in the of the the Weland the in the of a from the of the Weland imagery is in the of though the of for the of Weland in to have been in the to there are five which Weland the and and possibly are and not of the Franks though could from the with the Weland the to have been on the of on the Franks the above the motif of a in a thus on and as on for The Franks Casket likely with his as the figure who to Weland after his of or of the of are not as as that of the though in a of Old some and possibly an Old runic inscription on the object known as the other the of his to and the other some and each in to to be the of a was a and a and and after left and her to The of the has many to that the female figure in the enclosure on the lid is other Yet this is not this is the the depicts an a or by or his when no once that the lid could his Weland or to and his this is a of of known as more In the that comes to the of and that is and that the of because for was the of one that from other could with the bow other to his by to an the of his so if arrows for the the of and the in and the of was the most of and was called after of the to propose that the in the is his that is But are to the of the armed warriors and the fact that the archer on the lid arrows and not there the figure behind like the this is his or an in the are lengthy and to with as a bowman is in in and of of to the and his with provide in the scene the of the may provide and his the is a single runic in Old which be in one of and the or and This cryptic could to a of and his a band of that could be the her in her the the are the of to and to is not the of that the of because with other of the which with that the as a its is as if it a treasure of Weland like a gift by the from like the of as as or the the in because and The lid, with its of in other on I to a to of the and that it could be In the of this I that once Eigil of Fulda as a recipient of the In her the could have been to which likely by those of that that to his of the the abbot Eigil a to and there are some to her for a are for the likely of the while are so are of his and in his in the of and In many and his Eigil for Fulda an of and The next will historical to by Frankish as a of for as a as recipient of the and the of Fulda might have been for a and sometimes the of Fulda in the of In his of its Eigil the as of a of complete a by and of The was poised to a as a it to the of his in it, would to be The a of for (and for the Fulda to as a of and by and Frankish with as its and as its abbot and was around or its Eigil with his of the surrounding and his to as the term by for a or a and a or someone with a of that in in the Eigil to in the of of a and represented by and The as a of and its Eigil to be a of in the the while his as a to the of the of and a of surrounding Fulda to be as an and as been in the Fulda to be one of the most and in the to the of armed been on the with and with his of the on the central of the in is that the Eigil would have been that as and on the as from that a was a of the of would have been in his in that the abbot of the Fulda Fulda been with and In the there that from the Fulda when it to of to that a band of from the to a on the that was to the and it to the of the Eigil to as in this to be The of Fulda may have been the for the it is likely that a in which the after his of the In of the Eigil the that over a a in in in a in in in who are a and from the and once more to when an the and as as the and the to the with a from the and to a band of warriors from the to the to it to the with its and to the of this to the of the with and to the of the and to for to if could possibly the from his the of the from its in which it for years and to the with the of the the next where the of the Fulda and the next on the side and there a in which the of the of the around three in to on the fourth that some of in the and the and that the been and to this the of the and with to the where once more in the to the for the and to once more in of this are as the advancing of and of the Eigil to as was the of one to the as as another of his or with the of the of was the of this The a with the to there was a on the that was and thus a Frankish somewhere the of another with to the of those in decidedly it clear that was this with his to and his as the a a or a Eigil the a the fact that the Franks Casket the an of the of a sanctuary, and that description of the of is in heavily I some of the and historical the the advancing represent the and the archer one of the or perhaps the who with the archer and his the the and the of could this the of Fulda the of the in Eigil the as and in the scene the lid, are by the of the of the on the with the and of to the by a and the or which for by on and in a shield The lid depicts least three to a shield wall, with and one with a to the on the side of the might that Fulda was known for its was for the and a on The and could represent Fulda or possibly the that the of In the Eigil accounts for the where and as as the and that would the Eigil the term from to the protective structure around the of when and the in to The of Latin from British could a or or structure for the I have the the in the and the structure on the lid of the Franks might the female figure as of the with the archer her from the of the the on the lid as the of or yet a the of the with the as and the of the of the of on the has that the sometimes been as a of and Yet of in from the as his the I have the in the from the of and his to this that Eigil from Fulda with the for the of would have been in his during this I it is to that could have a while to the Eigil been Fulda was a the and been a was a to and the of of This of the on the lid, of on a of the Franks Casket of most or a or so after some there is no to that the of the and would have fallen out of by the while the and of with her of the of runes a in the it is that the runes are The fact that the of the which to to be in with present in the to the of and Northumbria during this and the of have often been by in the and the of The of the by and the of the of an English and by could have been the of Northumbria as an of and which as one of the clear of the with the of and was as abbot of Fulda by and who on a of is his the (also known as his the in with the of is on of the and its which would to house the of In his Eigil is as as the who the from and back to the of is that the Fulda may have been in and runic the earliest of its It has been that (or which other a on that some that and his a for and in The that to his would have been and by an of Fulda during the and in the Fulda and the Eigil would have the of and an of the of in his and would have been known owing to his as of Eigil have a many and with the the during this and of and The and of the Franks Casket would have an and the casket's lid and the it depicts would have been and as the of the of and In in this it would have been as a of the in the Franks Casket have often for to the British the the of Northumbria and the Northumbria a of the I have the archer's to the in the The of was gift to that when the its to have for the to the next to its that in the of the the and of the from the many of that an of his and might his in In his extant to or or some could be or to of the for his to the or in some of and and in the in this of in to abbot of that the of In that the gift of a for the abbot to In to for of In of the of The could be more in of a and from while of is as having a with with a for more his The and of and would have been and probably by the and Eigil of in the to one of the of the Fulda would have likely been a that often the of other of and as it, in of and and this of by of gift and his Fulda would have been the of by In that and from Northumbria in Fulda other a of and his The Fulda in the the of and that of the Frankish This to the fact that the the of Fulda the of Northumbria as of and that of that the is a of the of the most not of and sometimes known from the of a to the of its runes and around its panels on the back where the to A thus a narrative of as as the Franks Casket its intended be It could have been or that Fulda was to in its the its to in the it would have been to during the its some in its the its to Auzon, a in and a from to the and it that the could have been on a for a one essay has not attempted to one of the of the who it to be Yet I have to that of the of the of that by by or some other and the of would have and the and artistry of as the of the of the when the to the to the of the or that the panel a to be after all, is an that this of has to a the inscription on the lid as it that the there the to the as as of in the of and Frankish is often the that the panel be the most most often and likely if the that the may have perhaps an when the hands that