The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #1
The original book is over 1,200 years old. It was one of the first books
created in the form of a codex.
“A codex is a book in the format used for modern books, with separate pages
normally bound together and given a cover. It was a Roman invention that replaced
the scroll, which was the first form of book in all Eurasian cultures. Although
technically any modern paperback is a codex, the term is only used for manuscript
(hand-written) books produced from late Antiquity through the Middle Ages.”
~ Wikipedia
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #2
The original manuscript was created in 800 AD by a community of
monks in Celtic Ireland. It is on permanent display at Trinity College in
Dublin. The text is written in Latin and is supplemented by
illustrations, such as decorated initials and borders. The copy which is
on permanent display at the Washington-Centerville Public library is
one of only 1480 copies. This limited and rare edition was created in
1980 and is virtually indistinguishable from the original Book of Kells.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #3
The text of the book is written in Latin and is “based on the Vulgate
(the translation of the Bible completed by St. Jerome in AD 384)
intermixed with strong elements of the version that preceded it,
known as the Old Latin translation.” ~Bernard Meehan, The Book of
Kells (London, 1994)
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #4
The original book was stolen in 1066, but was found a few months
later. The jewels from the cover were stolen, however, the rest of the
book was undamaged. The book, in 4 volumes, has been on
permanent display at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland since the
1800s. One page of the book is turned each week for viewing by over
half a million people each year.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #5
The book was intended to be displayed on an altar and not to be used
as a functional book. It was written in a society where neither kings
nor commoners could read and in a time period where the light of
learning was lit in Ireland, but dark in Europe. Irish monasteries,
including the Abbey of Kells, were centers of learning and attracted
students from England and Europe.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #6
The original book was crafted by the hands of four calligraphers and
several artists. It is written on vellum. Vellum was used in most
medieval manuscripts. It is a calf-skin material that has been soaked in
lime, stretched and dried at room temperature. Experts say that the
material will last for more than one thousand years and is much more
durable than paper.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #7
The book has 33 fully illustrated pages. The most famous page is the
“Chi Rho” page. This page shows the Greek letters XPI which translate
into a ch, r, and i in English which is the abbreviation for “Christi”. The
page has been described as “the most elaborate specimen of
calligraphy ever executed.”
~ Westwood
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #8
In addition to 33 completely illustrated pages, the book also has two
thousand illuminated letters and illustrations including interlacing,
knot work, human figures, and animals. The knot work is so fine that
some cannot be seen with the human eye. One humorous illustration
shows a mouse stealing a wafer. Some pages are called “carpet” pages
because their designs have the appearance of a fine oriental carpet.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #9
The original book was written and decorated using black, yellow,
green, purple, lilac, pink, and red inks. Many manuscripts of the time
only used four inks. The pigments used by the artists were imported
from all over Europe and beyond. Some pigments came from as far
away as Mesopotamia. Several calligraphy styles were used by four
different artists. The text was generally written across the page with
no breaks in between the letters.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #10
The illustrations in the book are based upon the most famous art forms
from the la Tene art period in Celtic Europe and from regional styles in
Britain. Some of the most magnificent stone sculptures, jewelry, and
ironwork were created during that time period.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #11
History of the Times:
Celtic tribes from Europe colonized Ireland between the 8th and 1st
centuries BCE. This was called the “Iron Age”. With them they brought
a great artistic tradition.
Roman troops left Britain in the early 5th century
Britain was inhabited by many tribes like the Angles, Jutes, Picts,
and Saxons.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #12
History of the Times:
Clans were governed by warrior nobility and kings.
The kings made policy, declared war or peace, but did not own the
property of the village.
Succession to the throne was not inherited. All free men voted.
Charlemagne was assuming power in Europe.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #13
History of the Times:
Most Celts were farmers, some were craftsmen, and a few were
warrior nobility.
The Celts were a cultural group linked strongly by their language,
religious, and political beliefs.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #14
History of the Times:
Early Celtic society was illiterate except for a primitive alphabet
called “ogham”.
St. Patrick arrived in Ireland in the latter part of the 5th century and
is credited with introducing the Roman alphabet and enabling Irish
monks to preserve parts of the extensive Celtic oral literature.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #15
History of the Times:
In Ireland, the Roman Catholic Church was the only centralized
institution that survived the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
The Vikings were ascending upon Ireland. The Danes attacked and
conquered. Towns like Dublin were turned into Viking strongholds.
During these raids, monasteries and towns were plundered.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #16
Making of the facsimile:
To preserve the original book, a machine was designed to hold the
book in the air for photographing. It took over 10 years to photograph
the pages and publish the book. The facsimile is bound in leather and
printed on paper rather than vellum. Only 1480 copies of the book
have been made. 740 copies were reserved for Anglo-Saxon countries.
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The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #17
The Book of Kells at the Washington-Centerville Public Library:
Our Library is honored to display this rare donated facsimile edition of
the Book of Kells, the world-famous 9th century illustrated manuscript
acclaimed as the most beautiful book ever written. The Library, which
advances no religion or belief system, presents this destination book
that has transcended its religious origins to become an object worthy
of study - as a window into the past and a source of artistic inspiration
for the future.
© 2007 Washington-Centerville Public Library
The Book of Kells
Quick Fact #18
“The Book of Kells is a physical metaphor of exploration, of expanding
ideas, of delving deeply into all areas of human pursuit - it’s a stimulus
and invitation, to the community.”
~ Roger Crum, PhD. University of Dayton
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