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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Book</strong> of <strong>Kells</strong><br />
Roger Stalley
Majuscule
Evangelist symbols<br />
Angel of St Matthew folio 27v
Unfinished folio<br />
<strong>Book</strong> of <strong>Kells</strong>
Vellum: purchased by a monk
‘But if you take the trouble to look<br />
more closely, and penetrate with<br />
your eyes to the secrets of the<br />
artistry, you will notice such<br />
intricacies, so delicate and so<br />
subtle, so close together and well<br />
knitted, so involved and bound<br />
together, and so fresh still in their<br />
colourings that you will not<br />
hesitate to declare that all these<br />
things must have been the work,<br />
not of men, but of angels’.<br />
Gerald of Wales c. 1185
At <strong>Kells</strong> in 1006/7<br />
‘<strong>The</strong> great Gospel of Columcille, the<br />
chief relic of the western world was<br />
wickedly stolen during the night from<br />
the western sacristy (erdam) of the<br />
great stone church at <strong>Kells</strong> on<br />
account of its wrought shrine’.<br />
(Annals of Ulster)<br />
N.B.<br />
Columcille founded Iona in 563 AD<br />
Monastery at <strong>Kells</strong> founded c. 807 AD
Deadline? Nobody told me<br />
anything about a f deadline<br />
Martyn Turner
c.563 Iona founded by<br />
St Columba
Basic structure: four Gospels<br />
Matthew LIBER<br />
Mark INITIUM<br />
Luke QUONIAM<br />
John IN PRINCIPIO
<strong>Book</strong> of Durrow<br />
QUONIAM
Cathach (Royal Irish Academy) c 600 AD
Basic structure: four Gospels<br />
• Matthew LIBER<br />
• Mark INITIUM<br />
• Luke QUONIAM<br />
• John IN PRINCIPIO<br />
Preceded by folio showing the four symbols<br />
• Matthew angel<br />
• Mark lion<br />
• Luke calf<br />
• John eagle
Evangelist symbols<br />
<strong>Book</strong> of <strong>Kells</strong> folio 27v
Basic structure: four Gospels<br />
• Matthew LIBER<br />
• Mark INITIUM<br />
• Luke QUONIAM<br />
• John IN PRINCIPIO<br />
Preceded by folio showing the four symbols<br />
• Matthew angel<br />
• Mark lion<br />
• Luke calf<br />
• John eagle<br />
Also portraits of the evangelists<br />
• Matthew<br />
• John
St John<br />
<strong>Book</strong> of <strong>Kells</strong> fol 291v
Basic structure: Matthew’ Gospel<br />
• Folio 27v symbols of the four evangelists<br />
• Folio 28r blank<br />
• Folio 28 v portrait of Matthew<br />
• Folio 29r Opening initial LIBER
Iona
<strong>Book</strong> of <strong>Kells</strong>, Chi Rho initial (fol 34r)
‘Celtic’ curvilinear ornament<br />
(‘ultimate La Tène)<br />
<strong>Book</strong> of Durrow
‘Celtic’ curvilinear ornament<br />
(‘ultimate La Tène)<br />
<strong>Book</strong> of Durrow
Birds, cats and dogs –after the<br />
<strong>Book</strong> of <strong>Kells</strong>
Luke 21. 11-17<br />
PONITE ….<br />
Settle it therefore in your<br />
hearts…
Luke 21. 11-17<br />
PONITE ….<br />
Settle it therefore in your<br />
hearts…
Discovered 20 th July 2006<br />
Copy of the psalter,<br />
found in a bog at Faddan More<br />
(Tipperary)
nemo servus potest duobus<br />
dominis servire….<br />
Luke 16.13-15<br />
Fol. 253r
No servant can serve two<br />
masters; for either he will hate<br />
the one and love the other; or<br />
else he will hold to the one and<br />
despise the other. Ye cannot<br />
serve God and Mammon.<br />
Luke 16.13-15
TUNC ABEUNTES PHARISSAEI CONSILIUM<br />
FECERUNT UT CAPERENT EUM IN SERMONE<br />
<strong>The</strong>n the Pharisees, going out, took council as to how they<br />
might ensnare him in his words Matthew 22.15
QUONIAM<br />
QUONIAM…<br />
Opening of St Luke’s Gospel
Pangur Ban 9 th century<br />
I and Pangur Ban, my cat,<br />
'Tis a like task we are at;<br />
Hunting mice is his delight,<br />
Hunting words I sit all night<br />
So in peace our tasks we ply,<br />
Pangur Ban, my cat and I;<br />
In our arts we find our bliss,<br />
I have mine, and he has his.<br />
Practice every day has made<br />
Pangur perfect in his trade ;<br />
I get wisdom day and night,<br />
Turning Darkness into light.'
Scribe B<br />
scribe A<br />
185v scribe C<br />
Scribe D
Scribe B<br />
scribe A<br />
185v scribe C<br />
Scribe D
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