The Book of Kells

By Crusader1307

Perhaps one of the finest surviving examples of Illuminated Manuscripts, The Book of Kells is dated to 800 AD. It's name comes from The Abbey of Kells, North of The City of Dublin, Ireland (although it's creation was not there). Several probable locations list England, Scotland and Ireland as places of creation. It is though that perhaps The Book was created for Nobility and is basically a form of illustrated New Testament. Compiled into (4) Section, over 300 pages make up The Book, which is 15-inches by 10-inches. The illustrations, drawn on calf velium (skin) – number 340 (of 680 written pages).

The Book of Kells is perhaps the best and most complete of all Medieval religious illustrated Manuscripts that have survived into The Modern Era. Additionally, The Book was one of the first Medieval Manuscripts to be digitized and placed on The Internet for all to enjoy and study. The Folios (drawings) are intricate and colored in such a manner as to still retain their vital coloring – fading little since it's 9^th Century creation. The work of Monks, it is speculated that it took roughly 5 years to complete.