Author:  Monk Eadfrith

Language: Latin

Date: 700

Page #: 518

Product Description:

The Lindisfarne Gospels is an illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels of the New Testament, dating back to 700 AD. The manuscript is attributed to a monk named Eadfrith, who became the bishop of Lindisfarne in 698 and died in 721. Commissioned in honor of Saint Cuthbert, the gospels are considered a masterpiece of Hiberno-Saxon or Insular art, combining Mediterranean, Anglo-Saxon, and Celtic elements and was used for ceremonial purposes. The original cover, adorned in jewels and metals, was made by Billfrith the Anchorite, but it was stolen during a Viking raid. In 1852, a new cover closely resembling the original was commissioned by Bishop Edward Maltby.

The Lindisfarne Gospels are now kept at the British Library in London, and our reproduction is a hardcover book made with real wood for the interior of the front and back covers and spine. The leather is 4 oz cowhide from a small supplier in North Carolina, adhered to the covers with glue and molded into shape by hand of our local artisans. The signatures/pages are handsewn using a library binding method and the sewn book is bound with a strong adhesive glue that makes the bindings last. We also add a thick mull cloth to the outside of the binding, dried in between each layer, a traditional way to make the binding stiff, strong, and resilient for generations to come.

Please note, all of our facsimiles are made to order, and we will notify you of shipment in 4-6 weeks.