There is a very special place in the world called the Library at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. Besides the fact it resembles the library at Hogwarts, it contains one of the oldest books in the world: an illuminated manuscript called The Book of Kells (although some historians refer to it as the Book of Columba named after one of Ireland’s three patron saints).

The Book of Kells, which contains the four gospels, is one of the finest examples of medieval art ever to come from the British Isles. The only other manuscripts that come close to its extraordinary beauty are the Book of Lindisfarne and the Book of Durrow. There is another manuscript called the Book of Kildare, which contained the gospels according to Saint Jerome, except it was lost centuries ago.

The Book of Kells is a handwritten book that is not just beautifully written but also illustrated with lavish images in the Insular style. Insular style, also called Hiberno-Saxon art, originated in Ireland in the 7th century and made its way to Scotland and Britain. The Insular style is known for its curvilinear motifs and elaborated initials interlaced with bright coloring. Many of the illustrations are even drawn in gold leaf. Both the illustrated pages and script pages are filled with brightly colored geometric designs and complicated Celtic knot patterns.

These types of manuscripts were written and compiled by monks in monasteries all around the British Isles during the medieval period. In the case of The Book of Kells, there were three (maybe four) different artists who decorated the book. Although it is unknown whether or not the artists and the scribes were the same people. But one thing is clear in this book–it must have been used for ceremonial purposes since there are long passages of texts copied from the Bible that are missing.

It is believed The Book of Kells was created in the year 800 AD, but historians are unclear where it was created. They’ve narrowed it down to two different monasteries. One is an abby on the isle of Iona, between Britain and Scotland and the other in a monastery in Kells, Ireland. There are historical accounts that say due to the Viking raids, these illustrated manuscripts were moved around between abbeys and monasteries for safe keeping, There is even an account of the abbey on Iona being raided by Vikings in 806 AD and many treasures being sent to Kells. It’s possible that’s how the manuscript got its name. Since St. Columba built the first abbey on Iona in 563, some historians refer to the manuscript as the Book of Columba.

Currently, The Book of Kells is 13″ wide and 10″ high and contains 340 folios made from calfskin vellum. Yet historians know that the original form contained 370 folios and was at least 2″ wider and 3″ higher. Those missing 30 folios have never been found, and the book itself was rebound in the 19th century.

The Book of Kells lived in Kells, Ireland until 1641 when the monastery was destroyed. Twelve years later, The Book of Kells ended up in Dublin. Since 1661, the Library at Trinity College in Dublin has been the book’s caretaker. Once the book was repaired and rebound in the 19th century, it went on display in the library. Then in 1953, archivists divided and rebound the book into the four Gospels. Now, only two volumes are on display in the library at any time. One book shows the script and the other shows the illumination. Before Covid, The Book of Kells attracted over 500,000 visitors a year. If you ever get a chance to go, purchase the ticket that takes you through the museum dedicated to illuminated manuscripts. The museum walks you through the difficulty these artists had in making vellum, testing inks and dyes, and working with melted metals. It’s well worth the price of the ticket!

It’s hard to describe The Book of Kells without seeing it in person, but I agree with historians. It is one of the “greatest contributions to medieval art ever to come out of the British Isles”. 



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