The Book of Kells

Roger Stalley
Majuscule
Evangelist symbols
Angel of St Matthew folio 27v
Unfinished folio
Book of Kells
Vellum: purchased by a monk
But if you take the trouble to look
more closely, and penetrate with
your eyes to the secrets of the
artistry, you will notice such
intricacies, so delicate and so
subtle, so close together and well
knitted, so involved and bound
together, and so fresh still in their
colourings that you will not
hesitate to declare that all these
things must have been the work,
not of men, but of angels.
Gerald of Wales c. 1185
At Kells in 1006/7
The great Gospel of Columcille, the
chief relic of the western world was
wickedly stolen during the night from
the western sacristy (erdam) of the
great stone church at Kells on
account of its wrought shrine.
(Annals of Ulster)
N.B.
Columcille founded Iona in 563 AD
Monastery at Kells founded c. 807 AD
!"#$%&'"( *+,+$- .+%$ /"
#'-.0&'1 #,+2. # 34 $"#$%&'"
5#6.-' 726'"6
c.563 Iona founded by
St Columba
Basic structure: four Gospels
Matthew LIBER
Mark INITIUM
Luke QUONIAM
John IN PRINCIPIO
Book of Durrow
QUONIAM
Cathach (Royal Irish Academy) c 600 AD
Basic structure: four Gospels
Matthew LIBER
Mark INITIUM
Luke QUONIAM
John IN PRINCIPIO
Preceded by folio showing the four symbols
Matthew angel
Mark lion
Luke calf
John eagle
Evangelist symbols
Book of Kells folio 27v
Basic structure: four Gospels
Matthew LIBER
Mark INITIUM
Luke QUONIAM
John IN PRINCIPIO
Preceded by folio showing the four symbols
Matthew angel
Mark lion
Luke calf
John eagle
Also portraits of the evangelists
Matthew
John
St John
Book of Kells fol 291v
Basic structure: Matthew Gospel
Folio 27v symbols of the four evangelists
Folio 28r blank
Folio 28 v portrait of Matthew
Folio 29r Opening initial LIBER
Iona
Book of Kells, Chi Rho initial (fol 34r)
Celtic curvilinear ornament
(ultimate La Tne)
Book of Durrow
Celtic curvilinear ornament
(ultimate La Tne)
Book of Durrow
Birds, cats and dogs after the
Book of Kells
Luke 21. 11-17
PONITE .
Settle it therefore in your
hearts
Luke 21. 11-17
PONITE .
Settle it therefore in your
hearts
Discovered 20
th
July 2006
Copy of the psalter,
found in a bog at Faddan More
(Tipperary)
nemo servus potest duobus
dominis servire.
Luke 16.13-15
Fol. 253r
No servant can serve two
masters; for either he will hate
the one and love the other; or
else he will hold to the one and
despise the other. Ye cannot
serve God and Mammon.
Luke 16.13-15
TUNC ABEUNTES PHARISSAEI CONSILIUM
FECERUNT UT CAPERENT EUM IN SERMONE
Then the Pharisees, going out, took council as to how they
might ensnare him in his words Matthew 22.15
QUONIAM
QUONIAM
Opening of St Lukes Gospel
Pangur Ban 9
th
century
I and Pangur Ban, my cat,
'Tis a like task we are at;
Hunting mice is his delight,
Hunting words I sit all night
So in peace our tasks we ply,
Pangur Ban, my cat and I;
In our arts we find our bliss,
I have mine, and he has his.
Practice every day has made
Pangur perfect in his trade ;
I get wisdom day and night,
Turning Darkness into light.'
Scribe B
scribe A
185v scribe C
Scribe D
Scribe B
scribe A
185v scribe C
Scribe D