Rare medieval artefact is part of new exhibition

A rare medieval box that once contained the heart of an abbot who died in 1291 has gone on display.

The Heart Case of Roger de Norton was discovered during work at St Albans Cathedral in 1872.

The small box fragment is inscribed with Arabic text and was most likely made in the 11th Century in what is now Afghanistan.

It is now at the centre of an exhibition called Worlds Connected: St Albans and the Islamic World, which is running at St Albans Museum & Gallery until February.

The museum's Catherine Newley said: "This exhibition, curated in collaboration with members of our local Muslim community, celebrates the heritage and shared connections between our cultures.

"The Heart Case of Roger de Norton perfectly encapsulates this: an object from Afghanistan brought to St Albans almost 1,000 years ago becomes one of the cathedral's most precious relics."

It is not known how the box travelled thousands of miles to medieval St Albans.

St Albans Museums said its presence told a story of craftsmanship, connection and cultural exchange stretching back nearly a millennium.

The exhibition has other treasured loans from St Albans Cathedral, the British Museum and the Whipple Museum of the History of Science.

They sit alongside St Albans Museums' own collections and newly co-created displays developed with local residents.

Worlds Connected explores the connections between St Albans and Islamic cultures across centuries through a variety of themes including design, craft, trade, hospitality, clothing and science.

It features ancient manuscripts, intricate metalwork, incense burners, scientific instruments and modern community stories.

The museum's Farhana Begum said the venue welcomed visitors "to learn, reflect and feel part of our city's ongoing story".

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