Scholars believe this because the book’s images are so exquisitely intricate and designed to be looked at. 800 CE, Trinity College Library via BritannicaĮvidence suggests monks made the Book of Kells exclusively for display and ceremonial use, rather than to be read aloud to a church congregation. Monks Made the Book for Display Chi-rho page from the Book of Kells, c. It Is Named After an Irish Monastery The sacred cross at the site of the former Kells Monastery in Ireland, from where the Book of Kells takes its name.Ĥ. In another fascinating strand of the book’s history, thieves stole the original cover, which featured gold and jewels, during a robbery in 1007 CE, ripping it from the book and leaving behind significant damage.ģ. Meanwhile, the edges of the manuscript we see today were trimmed back by book binders during the 19 th century. Scholars believe 30 folios of text and illustrations were lost at some point in the book’s history. However, this is remarkably different from the book’s original size. Today, the Book of Kells is 13 inches wide and 10 inches high, containing 340 folios made of calfskin vellum. 800 CE, from Trinity College Library via Wikimedia Commons It’s Not as Big as It Used to Be Folio with Evangelists Symbols, from the Book of Kells, c. While it tells stories through passages of text, the focus is on the artworks and their stunning visual effect.Ģ. Along with the Gospels, the book also contains a series of indexes and cross references, to make navigating through it a little less unwieldy. In fact, there is further evidence suggesting the book was left incomplete, including a series of blank pages, and missing illustrations. Only part of John survives – the rest may have been stolen, or perhaps unfinished. The book includes the complete Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. The Book of Kells illustrates the four Gospels of the Christian New Testament Bible. The Book of Kells Is a Manuscript That Illustrates the Four Gospels Page from the Book of Kells, around 800 CE, Trinity College, Ireland
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