The Wayland Casket

The Wayland Casket showing the space for Viking artefacts ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

Making a Reliquary / Treasure chest

for the Beowulf Codex

2021-2022

The Viking style construction of the casket ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

4th May 2021

I have been thinking for a while about how to transport and store the Beowulf Codex. It needs to be looked after and throwing it in and out of chests and boxes will inevitably lead to damage and decline.

I decided to combine that thought with another project idea that has been rattling around in the back of my mind. Making a reliquary style casket.

The Beowulf Codex and the Wayland Casket in construction ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

I had some oak lying around in the workshop that is just right for the carcass and I went for a simple construction method using pinned tabs that was widely used in the early medieval period.

The top section will lift off to reveal the Codex

The Beowulf Codex and the Wayland Casket showing the space for Viking Jewellery underneath ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

When the Codex is removed it reveals compartments below that I can store and transport a few other little treasures like the Whitby Brooch that I made a while back.

I haven’t decided on the decoration I will add to the outside of the box yet. It will probably be a combination of carving and metalwork but this will be my next project for living history demonstrations.

The reinforcing straps for a Viking Age reliquary box ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

I’ve added a few edge straps and a coat or two of oil to give it a more finished look.

There is still a lot more to do but it makes it into a usable box for the time being.

Preparing for the carving on the Wayland Casket ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

June 2022

Time to get on with this as the Codex is nearing completion.

I decided that as it was usually going to be transported in the Wayland Kista, it made sense to continue with the same theme.

There is a gilded bronze winged figure that was found at Uppåkra which is thought to be Wayland in his winged form escaping from his enemy.

Laying out the design for the carving on the Wayland Casket ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

I have for some time thought that would make an interesting subject for a wood carving so I decided to try my hand here.

I started by adding an oak plate, roughly cut to shape and then pegged and glued to the lid of the box.

Carving the first crossovers on the Wayland Casket ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

Once the main shape had been laid out the next job was to mark out the crossover points so that they would not get confused when the deeper carving started.

The Carving on the Wayland Casket in progress ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

Then I added some stop cuts around key details that needed to remain high before doing some basic modelling to bring out the form a bit better.

The Carving of Wayland in flight on the casket in progress ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

29th June 2022

I’ve been adding some of the priciple lines this morning and the sun has come out after a shower of rain so I thought I’d put up a progress picture while the light is good.

The Carving of Wayland in flight on the casket nearly finished ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

Sometimes it is important to know when to stop and I think I’ve reached that point this afternoon.

I’ve not included all the detail from the original find because I think it risks making the figure more confusing. As it is I think the separation between the figure and the flying apparatus is clearer.

I’ll give it a few coats of “lookinat” before I stain and wax it but I think it’s pretty well there now.

The Carving of Wayland in flight on the casket ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

2nd July 2022

Here is the carving oiled and waxed.

The wax does help pick out the carving a bit and gives it a bit more of a worn in look.

The Wayland Casket a Viking Reliquary ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

This is the whole Casket then. I may do more to it later but I want to live with it for a while before I decide what it needs.

I’ve also inset a Spear Dancer figure given to me by a good friend that passed away not long after this casket was completed.

The Wayland Casket showing the space for Viking artefacts ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.

As you may be able to see, I’ve lined the inside with some rich red wool. The Beowulf Codex will sit safely on the top, under the lid, when it is finished.

The Beowulf Codex and the Wayland Casket ©Gary Waidson - Lore and Saga - Living History Education Services.