The above portion of one of the pages in the Book of Kells is Christ flanked by three yellow crosses over his head. It is on the “Christ Enthroned” page (Folio 32v), and it symbolizes the Crucifixion at Calvary.
What is the Book of Kells?
The Book of KellsThe book is a medieval illustrated masterpiece of Celtic art, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament, created by Celtic Monks around 800 AD. It has detailed illustrations of people, animals, and Celtic knotwork. It is housed in the library of Trinity College Dublin. More is a masterwork of Christian artthe expressive or application of human creative skill and imagination in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, or in music, literature, or dance; art is created primarily for beauty and emotional power; and "holds art is anything the viewer or listener finds aesthetically pleasing." and Western calligraphyThe visual art of decorative writing; designing and/or forming artistic letters using specialized tools like a dip pen or brush. More. It is an illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, in Latin. It was created in a monastery around 800 CEStands for Current Era, a secular and neutral term for the time period starting from year one in the Gregorian calendar; it means the same thing as AD. More on the Scottish island of Iona. It is an “insular gospel book,” hand-written, on animal skin, and exquisitely decorated. It is called “insular art” because it comes from the “insulae,” which is the Latin word for islands. After the violent Viking raids on Iona (the island), the book was moved to the Abbey of Kells in County Meath, Ireland.
The intricate knotwork and design are heavily reminiscent of early Celtic and Irish art. In the link below, look for: 1) Trumpet Spirals, which are geometric circular shapes that expand and contract across the backgrounds. 2) Interlocking Knots that are interwoven ribbon-like loops that seem to have no beginning or end, and 3) ZoomorphicIn art, the practice of using animal forms, shapes, or motifs in creative works; objects can be shaped like real or imaginary animals, or gods with animal traits. More images that are animals’ bodies, legs, or tails that are woven together.
Why is the Book of Kells Important?
The Book of Kells, created by a group of Celtic monks belonging to the monastic order of Saint ColumbaA 6th-century Irish abbot and missionary who is celebrated as one of Ireland's three patron saints. More, is both famous and important because it is considered the finest medieval illuminated Gospel manuscript. Every page is unique in its detail of Celtic knotwork, animal motifs, and stylized human figures. It is a symbolsomething that stands for, represents, or suggests another thing - human culture is symbolic More of Irish Identitythe name of a person, along with the qualities, beliefs, etc., that make a particular person or a group different from others, and early Irish cultural achievement. Like many ancient artifactsA human-made object of historical or cultural interest, characteristic of an earlier time or cultural stage. More, it has survived centuries of wars and Viking raids, pillaging, neglect, thievery, and misguided caretaking. It has even been declared to be the “work of an angel, not of man.”
Today, the Book of Kells is kept at Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland. There are guided tours and courses to take to learn more about this incredible four-volume manuscript with its unparalleled artistry. Experts believe the book was created by at least three or four master scribes, assisted by apprentice monks, who wrote the Latin text and sketched the main portraits. Pigments for paint had to be ground, and the calf vellumAnciently, a fine-grained, unsplit lambskin, kidskin, or calfskin prepared especially for writing on or for binding books. More for the pages had to be prepared. There was, however, one Master Craftsman nicknamed “The Goldsmith” by art historians.
The artwork is said to be “a complex visual puzzle.” It is not just decoration for decoration’s sake. Hidden layered symbols are conveying deep spiritual meanings about life, death, and the resurrection. For instance:
- Cats and Mice: On the Chi Rho page, cats are shown watching mice nibble on the Communion bread, a warning not to receive the sacrament unworthily.
- An Otter and a Fish: In another place, an otter is catching and eating a fish. Anciently, the “fish” was a code word or symbol for Jesus Christ. This scene represents the Holy Communion.
- Lions: In one scene, there is a lion biting a passive figure symbolizing Judas betraying Jesus.
- Snakes and Peacocks: Snakes represent rebirth because they shed their skin. A Peacock’s flesh, anciently believed not to ever decay, is a symbol of immortality.
- The Four Evangelists: Matthew is symbolized as a Man, Mark as a Lion, Luke as a Calf/Ox, and John as an Eagle.
If you are an artist, you will want to learn about the monks’ “secret” paint ingredients: How the gleaming yellow is not gold leaf, how blue was made from a flower, how the lilac and pink color was scraped from rocks, and how the green color was made from a chemical reaction of copper to vinegar and wine. If your curiosity is getting the best of you regarding this amazing cultural artifactan article made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest; an object or relic from the past often discovered by an archaeologist investigating an ancient cultural hearth, please see the short documentary at the following link. The first minute or two is repetitive, but the rest is about the minute details that are too many for this cultural musing. You will learn a lot.
