St Cuthbert's coffin: Difference between revisions

[[File:Durham - St Cuthberts arms.png|thumb|Representation of the [[pectoral cross]] from the coffin, used as an emblem.]]

What is usually referred to as '''St. Cuthbert's coffin''' is a fragmentary oak coffin in [[Durham Cathedral]], pieced together in the 20th century, which between AD 698 and 1827 contained the remains of [[Saint Cuthbert]], who died in 687. In fact when Cuthbert's remains were yet again reburied in 1827 in a new coffin, some 6,000 pieces of up to four previous layers of coffin were left in the burial, and then finally removed in 1899. This coffin is thought to be Cuthbert's first wooden coffin, and probably to date to 698, when his remains were moved from a stone sarcophagus in the abbey church at [[Lindisfarne]] to the main altar.<ref name=Wilson>Wilson, 49-5049–50; [http://www.earlymedievalart.com/category/metalwork/ here for number of fragments]</ref>

The coffin is almost the only survivalsurviving example of what was no doubt a very large body of Anglo-Saxon wood carving, being inscribed or engraved with linear images which have ''[[tituli]]'' in Latin lettering and [[Anglo-Saxon runes]] with names of apostles and saints;. manyMany names are illegible.<ref> name=Wilson, 49-50; [http://www.earlymedievalart.com/category/metalwork/ here for number of fragments]</ref>

Few people's remains are as well-travelled as those of Cuthbert. He died on 20 March 687 in his hermit's cell on [[Farne Islands|Inner Farne Island]], two miles from [[Bamburgh]], [[Northumberland]], and was taken back to the main monastery at Lindisfarne to be buried. Eleven years later the coffin was re-opened, and according to his biographies (including prose and verse ones by [[Bede]] from about 720) his remains were found to be "[[Incorruptibility|incorrupt]]" or undecayed. This was a traditional attribute of sainthood and helped greatly in his subsequent cult. He was reburied in a new coffin, apparently over the original one, which is described in his biographies, and matches the surviving coffin closely; this is called a ''levis theca'' ("light chest" in Latin) in [[Bede]]'s biography. This was placed above ground at the altar, and apparently covered with a linen cloth, an indication that Cuthbert was already regarded as a saint.<ref>Lexicon, 112-113112–113; Bonner et al, xxi-xxiixxi–xxii, and 105</ref>

In 875 the monks evacuated the abbey with the coffin, in anticipation of the [[Great Heathen Army]] moving into the area. For seven years they carried it with them to various places in modern Scotland and Northumbria before settling it in the still existing [[St Mary and St Cuthbert, Chester-le-Street|St Cuthbert's church]] in [[Chester-le-Street]] until 995, when another Danish invasion led to its removal to [[Ripon]]. It was at Chester-le-Street that King Athelstan visited it, and the textiles were placed inside.<ref>Brown, 28</ref> Travelling once again, the cart with the coffin became stuck at [[Durham, England|Durham]], which was taken as a sign that the saint wished to remain there. A new stone church—the so-called 'White Church'—was built, the predecessor of the present grand cathedral. The body was moved within the cathedral at various points; perhaps in 1041,1104 inwhen 1096the toNorman escapecathedral thewas constructed,<ref>[[Harryinghttps://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jul/28/st-cuthberts-coffin-durham-cathedral ofKennedy, theMaev. North]]"St byCuthbert's [[Williamcoffin the Conqueror]],features in 1104new whendisplay theat NormanDurham cathedralCathedral", was''The constructedGuardian'', July 28, 2017]</ref> and in 1541 when the medieval shrine which was one of the principal English pilgrimage sites was destroyed during the [[English Reformation|Reformation]].<ref>Lexicon, 112-113112–113; Bonner et al, xxi-xxiixxi–xxii</ref> The coffin was opened at various times during this period: onea mid-10th11th century monkpriest named [[Alfred Westou]] was in the habit of often combing the hair of the saint, and wasis also traditionally considered to have been responsible for placing the purloined bones of the [[Venerable Bede]] in the coffin.<ref>Brown, 28-2928–29</ref><ref>Crook, 1, 98–99</ref>

In 1827 the coffin was once again removed, having been found in a walled space at the site of the shrine. By then there were up to four layers of coffin in fragmentary condition, taken to date from 1541, 1041, 698 and 687, housing a complete skeleton, and other human remains, though many of the contents had been removed earlier. The textiles were removed in 1827. The human remains were reburied in a new coffin under a plain inscribed slab, with the remains of the old coffins, which were removed in yet another opening of the burial in 1899. These totalled some 6,000, of which 169 showed signs of having been carved or engraved. The art-historian [[Ernst Kitzinger]], then with the [[British Museum]], made a reconstruction of the carved oak sections in 1939, which has subsequently been slightly re-arranged.<ref>Cronyn & Horie, 247</ref> The reconstructed coffin and most of the contents are on now view in the Cathedral Museum; the Saint[[St Cuthbert Gospel]] has been often on display in London since the 1970s, but following its purchase for the nation in 2012, will in future be also displayed for equal periods in Durham or elsewhere in the North-East.

From the several thousand fragments collected in 1899 the art historian [[Ernst Kitzinger]] pieced together in 1939 a selection of 169 to make the fragmentary montages of the 7th century coffin now exhibited in the museum in Durham Cathedral, with engraved figures of Christ<ref>[httphttps://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/myths_legends/england/wear/img/p1_body.jpg image]</ref> surrounded by four [[Evangelists' symbols]] on the lid, on one end the earliest surviving iconic representation of the [[Virgin and Child]] outside Rome from the medieval art of the Western Church,<ref>As opposed to their inclusion in scenes of the Nativity or ''Adoration of the Magi''. There is at least one Virgin and Child, with another figure, in the [[Catacombs of Rome]]. There is a group of icons in Roman churches, some of which are probably older.</ref> with the archangels Michael and Gabriel on the other. The sides show the [[Twelve Apostles]] and five archangels.<ref> name=Wilson, 49-50; [http://www.earlymedievalart.com/category/metalwork/ here for number of fragments]</ref>

The coffin also contained the Stonyhurst or [[Saint Cuthbert Gospel]] (now [[British Library]]) and the best surviving examples of Anglo-Saxon embroidery or ''[[opus Anglicanum]]'', a [[stole (vestment)|stole]] and [[maniple (vestment)|maniple]] which were probably added in the 930s, and given by [[King Athelstan]].<ref>Wilson, 154-155154–155; Brown, 28; see also the articles at pp. 303-366303–366 in Bonner et al.</ref> Other probable possessions of Cuthbert found inside are an ivory comb, a portable altar, and a [[pectoral cross]] with gold and garnet [[cloisonné]], a rare and important early example of Christian Anglo-Saxon jewellery.<ref>Wilson, 49-5049–50, [http://www.cushnieent.force9.co.uk/WebSitePhotoGallery/cuthbertcross.htm Image of pectoral cross]</ref>

The names of Matthew, Mark and John are thus in runes, while that of Luke is in Latin letters. The [[Christogram]] is notably in runic writing, ''ihs xps'' {{unicode|ᛁᚻᛋ ᛉᛈᛋ}}, with the ''h'' double-barred in the continental style, the first attestation of that variant in England. The monogram reflects a runic variant of a partly Latinized ''XPS'' from Greek ''ΧΡΙCΤΟCΧΡΙϹΤΟϹ'', with the [[Ρ|rho]] rendered as runic ''p'' and the ''eolc'' rune (the old [[Algiz]] rune ''z'') used to render [[Chi (letter)|chi]]. It is difficult to account for the mixture of scripts, or find significance in which parts are in which script, but it can be said that such mixtures are not uncommon among inscriptions of the period from northern England, including the [[Franks Casket]] and stones from Lindisfarne and [[Monkwearmouth]].<ref>Page, 264-265264–265</ref>

{{reflist|2}}

* Bonner, Gerald, Rollason, David & Stancliffe, Clare, eds., ''St. Cuthbert, his Cult and his Community to AD 1200''. Woodbridge: Boydell and Brewer, 1989 {{ISBN |0-85115-610-X}} {{ISBN |9780851156101}}

*"Lexicon", Page, R. I., "St Cuthbert", in ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=XncmdPu_yykC&pg=PA113 Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde]'', Volume 26, 2004, Walter de Gruyter, {{ISBN |3-11-017734-X}}, 9783110177343, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=XncmdPu_yykC&pg=PA113&dq=St+Cuthbert%27s+coffin&hl=en&sa=X&ei=h14dT9_HFYrsOb_QrcsI&ved=0CDoQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=St%20Cuthbert%27s%20coffin&f=false google books]

* Raine, James, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=JjUDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA218 Saint Cuthbert: with an account of the state in which his remains were found upon the opening of his tomb in Durham cathedral, in the year MDCCCXXVII]'', 1828, G. Andrews, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=JjUDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA218&dq=Dissolution+Shrine+of+St+Cuthbert&hl=en&sa=X&ei=yuVQT5PFO-mx0QWv7s3YCw&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Dissolution%20Shrine%20of%20St%20Cuthbert&f=false google books] (treat with caution, but important primary account of the 1827 opening)

* Cronyn, J.M., Horie, Charles Velson, ''St. Cuthbert's coffin: the history, technology & conservation'', 1985, Dean and Chapter, Durham Cathedral, {{ISBN |0-907078-18-4}}, {{ISBN |978-0-907078-18-0}}

[[Category:Christianity in Anglo-Saxon ChristianityEngland]]