The Book of Kells was written in the 800s in Scotland, Ireland. Kells is a tiny town in Ireland’s Meath county. It takes its name from the Kells monastery in Meath County. The precise data about the exact time and people who wrote the Book of Kells are still unknown. The book of Kells is thought to have been composed by monks of the St Columbus order of Iona, Scotland, because illuminated manuscripts are typically written by monks. The mystification of this particular document piqued my interest.
The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript that contains the Christian New Testament’s four gospels. The copious use of gold and silver that lighted these books, giving them a royal and heavenly look, is why they are termed Illuminated manuscripts. Illuminated manuscripts are handcrafted books that usually contain Christian scripture and are only read aloud for ceremonial purposes. They were extremely costly to create, and only those with great financial resources could afford them.
The book has a height of 10 inches and a width of 13 inches. It was written on calfskin Vellum, which is made from stretched calfskin that is dried on frames and then utilised for writing.
The images are extremely detailed and on a bigger scale, the Book of Kells highlights this ceremonial activity, while the text is modest, with many repeats and paragraphs missing.
The Hiberno-Saxon style is used to write this work. This style combines Irish Celtic curving motifs and elaborate initials with Anglo-Saxon zoomorphic interweaving and dazzling coloration.
On every page each title has a large bright first letter that is meticulously detailed with men and animals that are engaging in a range of actions.
Book of Kells unsolved:
Other than the fact that it is unsure about the creators of the book of kells. Based on the opinions of the Annals of Ulster the book was once stolen. There are many parts of the book that are missing and the reason for that till today is unknown.I enjoyed the process of research this specific book.
Inspiration:
One of my favourite animated films, “Secret of Kells,” directed by Tom Moore and animated by Cartoon Saloon, inspired me to write about the Book of Kells. This Film revolves aroundthe ‘Book of Iona,’ which is the term for the unfinished Book of Kells, as I learnt today. It’s energising to learn so much about subjects I’ve always found fascinating and how I can better comprehend them now.
Works cited :
https://www.worldhistory.org/Illuminated_Manuscripts/
https://www.irelandbeforeyoudie.com/5-fascinating-facts-about-the-book-of-kells/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485601/
Image sources:
https://www.irishamericanmom.com/everything-you-should-know-about-the-book-of-kells/
Writing comment from Patrick
Good reporting and nice flow of information. The post would have benefited from using Grammarly to smooth out awkward phrasing and/or incomplete sentences, and to spot missed capitalization and unneeded commas. Overall, a strong post.