33. The Theft of the Book of Kells, Kells, Ireland 1006

the Canon Tables in the Book of Kells
The canon tables from the Book of Kells (Trinity College Dublin MS 58, 5v) gives a helpful guide to pretty much nothing at all, since really the book was never meant to be used as a text; it’s all about the visuals.

Happy New Year! An episode without any deaths! The “chief treasure of the western world” (as the Annals of Ulster reported) was stolen from the Abbey of Kells in 1006, surprisingly, not by Vikings. The thieves tore off the cover, which was encrusted with gold and jewels, we figure, and threw away the manuscript itself, which was found 2 months and 20 days afterwards, “under a sod.” Besides the book itself, and some other book which was like it in being thrown in a bog, and Kells, why we want to go there, Michelle also tells us about finding relatives in Meath, and a high cross in the river at Kells which might be there but if so it’s impossible to find. Fun times!  And we repeat: Vikings were not at fault!

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