With the uprise in printing and type, there was an increase in more expressive depictions of religious text. The Book of Kells was a standout example of this, many claiming it to be a masterful piece of its time.

Created in 800 CE by the monks in St. Columba’s order of Iona, Scotland, It stands at 680 pages, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament. The legendary status of the book derives from the endless pages of illustrations and illuminated text.

The Mysterious Origins

The true birthplace of this book is not confirmed. Some claim that its origins lie in Lindisfarne, Britain. Others say it’s Kells, Ireland. The working theory now is that due to the influx of Viking raids in Iona during the time of its creation, the book was immediately moved to Kells for its safety. The surviving monks may have even travelled with it, since joining the order in Kells was a much safer option.

No Paper? No Problem

It was made of vellum, which is standard for the period. They didn’t yet have paper, so cultivating and skinning animals was the preferred way to work around that. Monks were involved throughout the entire process. Producing the vellum, cutting the sheets, formatting, text, illustration, and illumination. They’d do all of it, with most of the book’s assembly taking place in their scriptorium. They worked in this long room tirelessly, until there was no more natural light left.

The book’s written word, in many cases, clearly seemed to be the less important element in the overall composition. It’s unrefined, has numerous mistakes, and would be difficult to read directly during a service. It was likely meant to be an altarpiece. An accent to provide visuals during these readings. I can imagine how much more impactful a service would be, looking at the lovingly crafted pages. Especially for the time. It isn’t something you’re supposed to read, it’s a story you’re meant to take in visually.

But Where is it Now?

The Trinity College of Dublin, Ireland, is the current possessor of the book. After a quick google search, I was able to find that they have a free PDF available for public viewing. Browsing through it myself, I can’t imagine what a marvel this would’ve been during its prime. The passage of time has left its mark, but it’s beautiful. The illumination provides detailed bursts of colour in an otherwise bland page of text. The illustrations too, when they’re there, have a level of intricate detail that I needed to zoom in to see.

I can’t get a whole lot out of it symbolically, since I didn’t grow up with any religion in my household. But, I respect it as a work of art, and I’d recommend skimming through it too. Seeing something completely handmade, in an age of technology, inspires me to go back and make some traditional work of my own.

Works Cited:

Book of Kells. En.wikipedia.org. (2021). Retrieved 20 October 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Kells.

Kearney, M. (2016). The Book of Kells: Medieval Europe’s greatest treasure?. Bbc.com. Retrieved 20 October 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20160425-the-book-of-kells-medieval-europes-greatest-treasure.

Mark, J. (2018). Book of Kells. worldhistory.org. Retrieved 20 October 2021, from https://www.worldhistory.org/Book_of_Kells/.

Images Retrieved From:

https://digitalcollections.tcd.ie/concern/works/hm50tr726?locale=en

Glossary

https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/secrets-book-of-kells

The Book of Kells