Book of Kells--Dublin, Ireland

The Book of Kells -- Christ Enthroned

The Book of Kells is Ireland’s most treasured medieval artifact.  It is recognized as possibly the finest illustrated manuscript from medieval Europe.

It is generally accepted that the document was produced in the scriptorium of a monastery on the Isle of Iona, Scotland, to honor Saint Columba in the early 8^th century.  It was later moved to Kells, Ireland, by the Columban monks after a Viking raid in 806 AD.  It is possible the monks may have worked on the manuscript at both locations.

The document was then stolen in the 11^th century and the cover, which likely was covered in gold and precious jewels, was torn off and the manuscript thrown into a ditch.  Although the book suffered some water damage it is still in remarkable condition.  The cover has never been found.

In 1541, at the height of the English Reformation, the book was taken by the Roman Catholic Church for safekeeping, but was returned to Ireland in the 17^th century.  It was in the collection of Archbishop James Ussher when he died and given to Trinity College by his nephew Henry Jones where it remains today in the Old Library on campus.

Since 1953, the manuscript has been bound in four volumes.  On any given day, Trinity College Library will display two of the volumes, one opened to a fully illuminated folio while the other is opened to typical text pages.

The Book of Kells on display at Trinity College, Dublin

The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript which contains the four Gospels in Latin according to the Vulgate text which St. Jerome completed in 384 AD, intermixed with readings from the earlier Old Latin translation. 

The Gospel texts are prefaced by other texts, including “canon tables,” or concordances of Gospel passages common to two or more of the evangelists; summaries of the gospel narratives (Breves causae); and prefaces characterizing the evangelists or authors (Argumenta)—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

The book is written on vellum (prepared calfskin) in a bold and expert version of the script known as “insular majuscule.”  It contains 340 folios (680 individual pages), now measuring approximately 330 x 250 mm.  Over the years the pages have been severely trimmed, and their edges gilded, in the course of rebinding in the 19^th century.

Ten different colors were used in the illumination using Celtic motifs and Christian symbolism, some of which cover entire pages while other pages have illuminated characters.  Only two of the pages have no illumination at all. 

Some of the colors are rare and had to be imported from the continent, and some of the workmanship is so fine that it can only clearly be seen with a magnifying glass. 

To learn more about the Book of Kells, watch this 7-part documentary.

Part 1 (9:56)

Part 2 (9:57)

Part 3 (9:56)

Part 4 (9:57)

Part 5 (9:57)

Part 6 (9:51)

Part 7 (8:25)

Trinity College Library Dublin has made the Book of Kells free to view online in its entirety through its Digital Collection.   

In 2009, an animated feature, The Secret of Kells, was released depicting a mystical tale of the making of the book.  It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Old Library at Trinity College