I was lucky enough to receive a ticket to a woodcarving course as a Christmas present, and so my weekend was spent carving out a wooden box with a medieval chain pattern, guided by course leader Jon Anders Fløistad, and hosted by Ås Husflidslag.

The model for the course is a small box found in the National Museum of Norway, which they date to between 1500 og 1850. The linked circle motif on the sides however is not uncommon in Romanesque sculpture, and boxes with not dissimilar form and patterns are also held by the Cultural History Museum in Oslo (C23305 and C23306). These linked ring patterns are also used on medieval baptismal fonts, such as those recorded by Nicolay Nicolaysen in his volumes on past Art and Craft from Norway (Kunst og Haandverk i Norges fortid, b.1 pl.II).

As a foundational course, pre-cut and hollowed pieces of limewood were dealt out to participants. The first day was spent mostly forming the shape of the box with a flat chisel, and fitting the lid within a slight taper on each side to a tight close. The pattern was drawn up on the wood with compass and ruler, ready to begin carving out the bulk of the material around the pattern. The second day was mostly spent fine carving and forming the weaving interlace patterns. One side of this box took near enough the entire day, so the other side and lid will have to wait! Here is the progress after the weekend, and some of the tools used.