The Book of Kells: Creation, History, and Modern-Day Importance

Dating back to the early 9th century, a lot of Irish people see the Book of Kells as ‘the most Irish thing we have.’ There are disagreements over where the manuscript was written, the number of people involved, and the date it was completed but it’s still seen as one of the most superb medieval European treasures.

This copy of the Christian bible is written in Latin and was created as a religious work of art. Displaying fine artistry and calligraphy, a lot of people still refer to it as the most beautiful book of all time. This book was moved around so many times, often for safety purposes and it’s amazing that it still survives today, over 1000 years after its creation.

Background

In 550 AD, Saint Colmcille, the Irish patron saint of Co. Derry founded a religious settlement in the Irish town of Kells, Co. Meath. After being exiled several years later, he moved to the island of Iona in Scotland with 12 other monks, founding his 36th Christian monastery. Iona became one of the largest religious centers in Western Europe and an important place of pilgrimage for well-known Irish leaders.

After repeated Viking attacks, the monks were forced to leave the island in the early ninth century, moving to Kells, where they set up a monastery c. 807 AD. There are no proven facts, but it’s generally agreed that the writing of the manuscript began on Iona, before it was taken over to Kells for safekeeping. People continue to wonder how the book survived these early attacks.

The design and complex writing style suggest it was created as a display piece, maybe taken out to read on special occasions. There have been several suggestions on why this book was created. One explains that the date it was made coincides with the building of a new shrine dedicated to St. Colmcille. Another theory suggests that it was made to honor the bicentenary of his death in 797.

Records state the book was stolen from the church at Kells in 1007AD and this is the earliest reference to the book. Luckily, it was discovered several months later, but the precious stones and gold bindings on the cover were all missing. 

It remained in Kells until the 17th century. The eleven-year Irish Confederate War took place between 1641 to 1652 and by the early 1650s, the church of Kells was ruined in warfare. Again, the book survived and this time it was taken over to Trinity College in Dublin between 1661 and 1682. It has been kept here ever since, apart from a short period during World War Two when it was taken from the library to protect it from the risk of an aerial attack.

Making and Style of the Book

During the time it was made, these kinds of gospel books were known as ‘the work of angels’ or a saint. Like most early Irish manuscripts, there are no authors’ names and the makers of the Book of Kells remain unknown. 

While some people claim there were two scribes involved, others believe there were at least four. It’s also thought that there were two or three specialists, responsible for the intricate design and drawings. The style of art is known as ‘insular’ (Latin world ‘insulae’ meaning islands) based on its’ origin on the British and Irish isles. 

This style combines pictures of different holy figures, used to tell a story, or express a certain idea, with symbolic images. One page is dedicated to an intricate image of a single cross.

Pictures of Jesus Christ and the four evangelists are common, sometimes interpreted as different animals: Matthew (man), Mark (lion), Luke (calf/ox), John (eagle).

The artwork of these pages is elaborate, but it still overlies a geometrical structure and the different elements celebrate a vast range of cultures fused. These include spiral motifs and intertwining animals that were common in early Germanic and Anglo-Saxon art. The open letters on some pages are intricately designed and the words written in Latin, the standard language of the Western Church.

Luckily, this book was made of vellum, or calfskin, a material that is quite resistant to damp conditions. For the range of vibrant colors featured, it was first thought that about 30 different pigments were used. It was later found that there were only a small number of plant and mineral-based pigments used, mixed with white to form lighter shades. 

Changing Beliefs and Growing Popularity

When the book first arrived at Trinity College, Dublin, it was mainly viewed by upper-class visitors with an interest in biblical studies. It wasn’t until the 1830s that it was put into a glass case in the Long Room of the Old Library at Trinity and was available for the wider public. This was not aimed at tourists but for college members, invited, or strangers who had to be accompanied by a Fellow or Master of Arts. At this time, about 3,000 visitors were traveling to the library each year to see it.

In the 19^th century, it was possible to borrow the book, allowing artists to make copies of some of the pages, or visitors to view them more closely. Luckily, in 1906 this was prohibited for the security and preservation. When the College participated in events such as Dublin civic week in 1927 and the Eucharistic Congress in 1932, where lectures were given at the library based on the Book of Kells, visitor numbers grew.

By 1980, around 100,000 people were going into the library to view the manuscript each year. In 1992, to mark the 400th anniversary of the foundation of Trinity College, modern exhibition space was set up on the ground floor of the old library, where the Book of Kellscan still be seen today. It is now viewed by almost one million people every year.

In 1951, a comprehensive photographic reproduction of the entire book finally became available to view and it took many years to create. Today, this copy can be viewed online. The manuscript is popularly referred to as ‘The Most Irish Thing We Have’ and the introduction of photography made it a famous symbol of ‘Celtic’ art. 

From as early as the 1840s, Dublin-based jewelry firms started making copies of ancient Irish brooches, encouraged by the growing number of overseas tourists. Before long, brooches were decorated with some of the intricate letters from in the Book of Kells. More recently, some of these symbols have featured on 2p coins, £5 notes, and a special version of the €20 coin in 2012, as well as Irish postal stamps.

Margaret M Manion, an Emeritus Professor at the University of Melbourne who is renowned for her study of the book, states:

Throughout the centuries the pages of this great book have aroused wonder and admiration at the ingenuity and creativity of the human spirit. Moreover, the story of the book’s survival for over twelve hundred years makes it all the more precious.[1]

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References

• Sullivan, Edward, Sir: The Book of Kells (1986). Studio Editions, London.
• https://www.tcd.ie/visitors/the-extraordinary-journey-of-the-book-of-kells/ The Extraordinary Journey of the Book of Kells.
• http://www.visitingkells.ie/christian-built-heritage.html The Early Christian Built Heritage of Kells.
• https://www.claddaghdesign.com/history/irish-treasures-the-book-of-kells/ Irish Treasures: The Book of Kells.
• http://www.discoverboynevalley.ie/boyne-valley-drive/heritage-sites/kells-home-irelands-finest-treasure Kells: The Home of Ireland’s Greatest Treasure.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLNIbroSsLo The Book of Kells: A Masterpiece of Irish Art
• https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/book-of-kells: The Book of Kells: Exploring an Irish Medieval Masterpiece.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLNIbroSsLo