Page 70 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

68  DUBLIN AREA B Y AREA

The Book of Kells

The most richly decorated of Ireland’s medieval illuminated manuscripts, the Book of Kells
may have been the work of monks from Iona, who fled to Kells (see p245) in AD 806
after a Viking raid. The book, which was moved to Trinity College (see pp66–7) in the
17th century, contains the four gospels in Latin. The scribes who copied the texts also
embellished their calligraphy with intricate interlacing spirals as well as human figures
and animals. Some of the dyes used were imported from as far as the Middle East.

Pair of Stylized The Greek
moths angel letter “X”

The symbols of the four
evangelists are used as
decoration throughout
the book. The figure
of the man symbolizes
St Matthew.

The letter that looks like
a “P” is a Greek “R”.

The letter “I”

Interlacing
motifs

Cat watching rats A full-page portrait of
St Matthew, shown
Monogram Page standing barefoot in
Rats eating bread could be a front of a throne,
reference to sinners taking Holy The most elaborate page of the book, this precedes the opening
Communion. The symbolism of contains the first three words of St Matthew’s words of his gospel.
the animals and people account of the birth of Christ. The first word
decorating the manuscript is “XRI” is an abbreviation of “Christi”.
often hard to interpret.
The text is in a beautifully rounded Celtic script with
brightly ornamented initial letters. Animal and human forms
are often used to decorate the end of a line.

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