The Book Of Kells, A Medieval Masterpiece

A Manuscript Page From The Book Of Kells

     The Dark Ages were a time of turbulence and hardship for Europe.  Be it The Plague killing thousands of people or terrifying vikings pillaging villages and monasteries throughout the land.  It was a very difficult time for for these people and for the growth of artistic creativity.  One of the few bright spots for the artistic world during this age was the Illuminated Manuscripts.  These manuscripts were painstakingly designed by monks in dark, candlelit monasteries throughout Europe.  Of these elegant handwritten documents, The Book of Kells is without a doubt the most impressive of these Medieval masterpieces.

     The next time you are in Dublin, Ireland, head to The Trinity College Library to see their elaborate exhibit on Medieval Manuscripts.  Here you can actually see the Book of Kells first hand.  In 1953, the curators of the library separated the book into four separate pieces based on the four gospels they possess. This was done so that the library could display four pages at a time.  As you approach the display case, you will have the opportunity to see two pages of elegant text as well as two cover pages.  These pages are switched out on a regular basis. This way the public can view more of this legendary book. 

     So you maybe wondering why is this book so special?  Well, it all started back in 561 A.D. in Iona, Scotland.  Here a collection of monks built a very isolated monastery, in hopes of developing a closer relationship to God.  They would spend night and day worshiping God through prayer and peaceful meditation.  One other way that these monks would show their devotion to the most high is by laboriously copying bibles.  This process was extremely time consuming and took years to perfect.  Remember, The Gutenberg Bible, the first printed book was not made until 1439.  Thus, this handcrafted method was the only way for the word of God to be spread.  These books, eventually took on an artistic quality as the monks created more and more of them.  This particular book was eventually moved to Ireland in 806 A.D. when viking raiders ransacked the island and killed 68 monks.  The book eventually found it's final resting place at Trinity College in the mid 19th century.  So, as you could imagine, besides being an artistic treasure, a book this old is exceptionally rare and just so precious.

     Besides the beautiful Book of Kells, The Trinity College Library also has The Book of Armagh on display.  This is a copy of the four Gospels from The New Testament, as well as "The Confessions of St. Patrick".  It recounts the life and times of St. Patrick as he dictated them to the bishop of Armagh in 807 A.D.  The library also possess two more incredible treasures.  They have the oldest harp in Ireland.  This massive oak instrument dates back to the 15th century and is the national symbol of Ireland.  You may have noticed a depiction of this gorgeous harp on the Guinness logo. Lastly, they have one of the original copies of The 1916 Proclamation of The Irish Republic.  This is essentially Ireland's version of The Declaration of Independence and it was pivotal in starting the Irish Revolution from Great Brittan.

     So the next time you are on "The Emerald Isle", checkout The Trinity College Library and their medieval masterpieces, including The Book of Kells.

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