The Franks Casket
One great thing about the 8th century Anglo Saxons is that they had eclectic tastes in stories, languages, scripts and iconography. The Franks Casket demonstrates this very well.
On the left is the Weland legend. Weland stands, hamstrings cut to keep him prisoner of King Niðhad, at his forge. Below the forge is the headless body of Niðhad's son, who Weland has killed, and made a goblet from his skull. He offers this with drugged beer, to Bodvild, Niðhad's daughter, who he then rapes when she is unconscious. Another female figure is shown in the centre. To the right of the scene he catches birds so he can use their feathers to make wings and escape. This naturally segues into the Adoration of the Magi on the right.
There is more about this strange iconography and its possible purpose at:
www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collecti...
(at "curator's comments" click "more")
The Franks Casket
One great thing about the 8th century Anglo Saxons is that they had eclectic tastes in stories, languages, scripts and iconography. The Franks Casket demonstrates this very well.
On the left is the Weland legend. Weland stands, hamstrings cut to keep him prisoner of King Niðhad, at his forge. Below the forge is the headless body of Niðhad's son, who Weland has killed, and made a goblet from his skull. He offers this with drugged beer, to Bodvild, Niðhad's daughter, who he then rapes when she is unconscious. Another female figure is shown in the centre. To the right of the scene he catches birds so he can use their feathers to make wings and escape. This naturally segues into the Adoration of the Magi on the right.
There is more about this strange iconography and its possible purpose at:
www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collecti...
(at "curator's comments" click "more")