- The Book of Kells, also known as the Book of Columba, is an illuminated Latin Manuscript of the The Four Gospels, considered to be a National Treasure of Ireland.
- It is thought to have been written around c.800 CE and is named after the Columbian Abbey of Kells in Ireland, where it resided for centuries.
Trinity College, Dublin
- The Book of Kells is held on display in Trinity College, which has been its home since 1661 CE.
- It was bound into four volumes, two of which are always on display.
The Illustrations
- The text is famous for containing elaborate full page illustrations as well as smaller illustrations painted in many colours, but without using gold or silver leaf.
- The opening Texts of each Gospel are so highly decorated they fill the entire page, whilst throughout the Book other texts are decorated with animals, small figures and extremely complicated interwoven knots.
Illuminated Gospel Manuscripts
- Book of Durrow (c.650-700 CE)
- Bobbio Orosius (early 7th century CE)
- Durham Gospels (early 7th century CE)
- Echternach Gospels (early 7th century CE)
- Lindisfarne Gospels (c.715-720 CE)
- Lichfield Gospels (8th century CE)
- St. Gall Gospel Book (8th century CE)
- Armagh Gospel (9th century CE)
Kells