The book is written on vellum (prepared calfskin) in a bold and expert version of the script known as « insular majuscule ». It contains 340 folios, now measuring approximately 330 x 255 mm; they were severely trimmed, and their edges gilded, in the course of rebinding in the 19th century.
The Book of Kells contains the four Gospels of the Christian scriptures written in black, red, purple, and yellow ink in an insular majuscule script, preceded by prefaces, summaries, and concordances of Gospel passages. Today, it consists of 340 vellum leaves, or folios, totaling 680 pages.
Where was the Book of Kells written?
Ireland
Why is the Book of Kells so important?
It’s The Most Famous of The Early Medieval Manuscripts The Book of Durrow, Lichfield Gospels, and the Lindisfarne Gospels rank in a similar period, but even among those three, the Book of Kells has a unique position of veneration. A lot of this has to do with the very precise illumination of the manuscript.
What does Kells mean?
Great Fort
Why is the Book of Kells called the Book of Kells?
Where did The Book of Kells get its name? The book gets its name from the monastery of Kells, County Meath, Ireland. The book is believed to have been brought to Kells following a Viking raid on the monastery on the island of Iona, Scotland, in 806.
Who made the Book of Kells and why?
Something that is known for sure is that the monks who created the Book of Kells were Columban monks, who were originally from Iona, but had relocated to Kells by the early 9th century, the same time that the Book of Kells was known to have first appeared.
Who made the Book of Kells?
Columban monks
Why was the Book of Kells made?
Why was the Book of Kells created? It is believed that this book was made for display and ceremonial use, not to be read out loud. The reason for this is that the images are elaborate and detailed while the text is carelessly copied with entire words missing or long passages being repeated.
What is the value of the Book of Kells?
However, when compared with the St Cuthbert Gospel, the value of the Book of Kells is incalculable. The former, with its original 7th century tooled leather binding, was acquired in April 2012 by the British Library, for £9m, from the Jesuit College at Stoneyhurst.
Is the Book of Kells Catholic?
It contains the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John based mostly on the Vulgate, a Latin version of the bible translated by St Jerome in the 4th century AD and used as the authorised bible by the Roman Catholic Church. Today the book consists of 339 vellum (calf skin) folios but there used to be more.
Why was the Book of Kells created?
6. Why was the Book of Kells created? It is believed that this book was made for display and ceremonial use, not to be read out loud. The reason for this is that the images are elaborate and detailed while the text is carelessly copied with entire words missing or long passages being repeated.
How old is the Book of Kells?
around 800 AD
What is the Book of Kells written on?
The book is written on vellum (prepared calfskin) in a bold and expert version of the script known as « insular majuscule ». It contains 340 folios, now measuring approximately 330 x 255 mm; they were severely trimmed, and their edges gilded, in the course of rebinding in the 19th century.
What is so special about the Book of Kells?
The Book of Kells (c. 800 CE) is an illuminated manuscript of the four gospels of the Christian New Testament, currently housed at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. The work is the most famous of the medieval illuminated manuscripts for the intricacy, detail, and majesty of the illustrations.
What does Book of Kells mean?
The Book of Kells (Latin: Codex Cenannensis; Irish: Leabhar Cheanannais; Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS A. I. [58], sometimes known as the Book of Columba) is an illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament together with various prefatory texts and tables.
How much is the Book of Kells worth?
However, when compared with the St Cuthbert Gospel, the value of the Book of Kells is incalculable. The former, with its original 7th century tooled leather binding, was acquired in April 2012 by the British Library, for £9m, from the Jesuit College at Stoneyhurst.
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