Course: The Book of Kells: Exploring an Irish Medieval Masterpiece

Medieval gospel books were sometimes bound in a single volume, or might be bound into separate gospels, or kept in loose gatherings in a folder-like cover so that sections could …

During the early medieval period in Western Europe, parchment or young animal skins were the preferred writing surface for manuscripts. We explore some of the characteristics of the material, and …

It was not uncommon for Irish scribes to take a break from the copying of texts to make comments on their materials, excuse the poor quality of their work, or …

Admiration for great works of art during the medieval period was often expressed in supernatural or magical terms. A great gospel book was more likely to be described as the …

The scriptorium was the writing room usually at or near a Church settlement; the physical space where the act of transcribing books was carried out. Some early sources refer to …

Today, in the era of digital technologies, we tend to take the transmission of knowledge for granted. Texts and images can be created with ease and shared over the web …

Well done for reaching the end of Week 2 of our course. We hope you have enjoyed the videos and articles about the making of the Book of Kells. Remember, …

In the early Middle Ages, books were transcribed for a number of reasons. They might be made as an addition to a monastery’s library, for use during Mass, as diplomatic …

The context from which the Book of Kells emerged was, without doubt, a religious one, at a time during which there was a flourishing of learning and artistic creativity within …

Today we think of Ireland as the island located on the north-western shores of Europe. During the early medieval period however, the country’s cultural borders were far less clearly defined, …

The people who created the Book of Kells were Christians, most likely monks. Like Islam and Judaism, Christianity shares the belief that there is only one (mono in Greek) God …

The Book of Kells is a gospel book, containing the four accounts of Christ’s life that form the New Testament of the Bible. It is one of the few precious …

The Book of Kells is the best surviving example of a unique art style that flourished in Ireland between around 650 and 950AD. Characterised by dense patterning overlying a tightly …

In 1007AD, chroniclers recorded that the great gospel of Colum Cille, most precious relic of the Western world, had been stolen from the western annexe of the church at Kells. …

The exact location of the making of the Book of Kells remains the subject of debate. It is almost certain that it was made at a Christian centre associated with …