stage 7

Name: Ama Detse

Course

Date: 10/22/2017

Oldest European Book

The definition of books has been there for so long and at times it may be difficult to get the right definition. This discussion can go a long way being talked about. However, the oldest European Book that was the St. Cuthbert is still available in the world today. Looking at this old book, it is red in colour (Breay,56). The colour seems to be intact and there are no parches within the cover and that tries to explain that the oldest book has been well preserved. The only visible patches on the cover that seems to have lost the red colour are at the edge of the cover on the opening of the book.

One distinguishable observable thing in the gospel book is the illuminating aspect. The oldest book is illuminating and that means that the cover is shiny. The reason as to why the book is in that condition is not known but the observable aspect is that the shining aspect can be coming from the nature of the leather being made to shine and gloom a lot. Shining aspect or the illuminating aspect may also be as a result of the way the gospel book was intended to be holy (Diringer,40). That may go to explain that the makers of the book in the 7th Century who were Latinos wanted to portray a book that is great.

Observable feature in this artifact which is the beautiful nature of the cover. The cover page is not just empty as it has some drawings that have been placed or put in the Bible. The smartness of the oldest book cuts across with the nature of the book in which it is widely done to be colourful (Breay,70). The writings on the front cover seem too well-crafted and that may explain the fact that the writings may be carrying some meanings only known to the authors who were based in Latin. At the middle of the book, there are decorations which are in the shape of circles. The circles are four and there is also an image of a cross that happens to be in drawn as coming from the downside. The creators of this old book were great as the way the book is maintained up to know with the image like drawings makes it look great and appear very smart in nature.

Previously, the book was owned by Jesuit community that is in Belgium. As a result of the book being very unique and its artifact nature standing out, the book was bought by a library in London after Britain paid an amount of $14 million in order to get the book in 2012.As it is now, the book has gone digital and there is the online version that can be found. More facts reveal that the book was a copy that concerned the Gospel of St. John and it was originally done in England in the North-Eastern part of the country. In order to keep and maintain the book, the book was placed in the coffin of Saint Cuthbert and it remained in the coffin for over a period of 1,300 years after he died. Vikings raided North Eastern England of Monastic community and carried the coffin with them (Diringer,90). The Vikings then preserved the book when the settled in the city of Durham. The Coffin was laid bare in 1104 as a new Shrine was being made for a saint. Since then the book has been preserved till it found its way to Jesuits.

Works Cited

Breay, Claire. The St Cuthbert Gospel: studies on the Insular

manuscript of the Gospel of John (BL, Additional MS 89000. London: The British

Library, 2015. Print.

Diringer, David. The book before printing: ancient, medieval, and oriental. New York:

Dover Publications, Inc, 2013. Print.