Book of Kells - Medieval Manuscript in Ireland
Medieval Illuminated Manuscript on Exhibit in Dublin
Oct 29, 2008
The famous Book of Kells comprises of the four gospels in Latin which were painstakingly copied by hand around 800AD by Celtic monks. It is considered by many to be Ireland's finest national treasure. At the time the book was produced, Irish monks were famed throughout the rest of Europe for their work as scribes and illustrators.
The scribes and artists who created this illuminated manuscript with its wonderful medieval pictures were Columbian monks who lived in a monastery on the remote island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. The monastery was founded late in the sixth century by an Irish monk, St Colm Cille.
Book of Kells - A Brief History
The Abbey of Kells was first founded by Columba probably in 554 when Columban monks fled from Iona due to repeated raids by Vikings. Historians now believe that Book of Kells may have been either started in Iona and finished in Kells or written entirely in Kells by successive generation of monks
The Abbey of Kells is located in Kells, County Meath, Republic of Ireland, approximately 60 kilometers north west of Dublin. The Abbey also had a turbulent history, it was constantly raided by Vikings, especially during the 10th century but somehow the monks managed to preserve the book from being stolen, lost or damaged until 1006 when it was stolen from its shrine.
The book of Kells was recovered some two months later, having been thrown into a ditch. The cover had been ripped off, probably because it was encrusted with gemstones. The rest of this wonderfully illuminated medieval manuscript sustained some water damage but remained largely intact.
Due to the force of the removal of the book of Kells cover, some illustrations in the beginning and end are missing. After so many centuries, the book is now very fragile with few people allowed access. It was finally transferred to Dublin in 1650 for safekeeping.
Illuminated Manuscript - What Does it Mean?
The leaves of the Book of Kells are elaborately illustrated and decorated, with extravagent ornamentation. The complex decoration includes iconography, swirling script, figures of humans, animals and beasts and the typical interlacing knotwork.
The manuscript is illuminated, which means the text has details such initials and borders which are decorated with gold or silver. It is the most elaborate manuscript of its kind to survive from the early Middle Ages.
For those interested in accurate copies of the gospels and ancient literature, a lot is owed to the monastic scribes who ensured the survival of such literature. Illuminated manuscripts were preserved through times when Vikings and barbarians ran rampant and during times when even the ruling classes were illiterate.
The illuminated manuscript today is bound into four volumes, two volumes are usually on display with one volume open at one of the elaborate illustrations, and the other open to display the Latin text. It attracts some 500 000 visitors each year.
References:
- Carol Farr, The Book of Kells: Its Function and Audience, British Library 1997
- George Henderson, From Durham to Kells: The Insular Gospel Books 650-800 Thames and Hudson 1987
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