This 'chasse' shaped reliquary is made of gilt-copper round a wooden core, intricately decorated with champlevé enamel to tell the story of Thomas Becket through literal and symbolic imagery.

On the night of December 29, 1170, Archbishop Thomas Becket was assassinated in Canterbury Cathedral by four knights acting on the orders of King Henry II.

[2] This event sparked widespread indignation across Europe, leading to a surge of pilgrims visiting Canterbury to pay their respects at the scene of the murder.

[1] Many of Becket's relics were encased in similar elaborate caskets and dispersed all around the world, however, the chasse that is currently held by the Victoria and Albert Museum is believed to have the earliest date.

[1] The story of Becket's assassination is displayed across the different sides of the casket, though the significance of certain figures on the back are only presumed, and one end of the vessel is missing its door panel.

[1] A turret and an ornate arch are seen on the opposite gable on the right hand side, where it is believed that a figure of St. Peter was probably displayed on the missing door panel.

[1] The rear bottom and roof panels are heavily patterned with quatrefoils of large and small sizes, with the previously mentioned saint figures at each of the four corners.

The decorative technique of champlevé enamel is a method in which high heat is utilized to fuse a powdered glass material into a recessed area of a metal surface.

[5] The basic process of enameling involves fusing powdered material, such as glass, to the outer surface of a metallic or similar object through the use of high temperature.

However in this technique, recesses of all shapes and sizes are carefully carved into the metallic body of the object and further filled with the powdered glass or frit, allowing for a different finish.

[6] Not only did the pieces of Limoges created using champlevé enamel hold an aesthetic appeal, but they also had a strong functionality, as their copper interiors were durable and thick.