Posted by stew - Mon, Oct 10, 2005

Gazette & Courier - Monday, December 14, 1874
The Book of Kells

The Book of Kells - There is some excitement in Ireland at present owing to the disappearance from the http://www.tcd.ie/Library/heritage/index.php library at Trinity College , Dublin, of the Book of Kells, the oldest book in the world, and the most perfect specimen of http://www.irishclan...les/bookofkells.html Irish art of the olden times. It is alleged that the book has been taken to the British Museum for the purpose of being bound, but its removal was effected without authorization, wherever the book may be. The http://12koerbe.de/euangeleion/kells.htm Book of Kells is a manuscript copy of the Gospels, richly illustrated and written by St. Columbkille [or http://www.irishclan...irish/stcolumba.html Saint Columba ] in 475. It is imperfect at beginning and end, the existing portion comprising 339 numbered leaves. The value of it is placed at $60,000. The name by which it is known is derived from its having belonged to the Columban Monastery of Connanus, or Kells, in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Kells Meath . According to the Irish annalists, the book was stolen in the year 1066 from the great church at Kells - At that time it was considered the greatest relic of the Western world on account of its singular cover. It was found a few months after the theft, covered with sods, the gold with which it had been adorned stripped from it entirely. The version of the Gospels in this manuscript is mainly that of the vulgate, but with many peculiar readings.
 

Subjects: Art, Economics, Education, English (and England), History, Irish, Libraries and Librarians, Literature / Web Pages, Museums, Names, Religion, Robbers and Outlaws