Click2History - Book Burning - Chapter 5

<body link="0000ff" alink="ff0000" vlink="000000" bgcolor=000033> <table width="100%" bgcolor=000033> <tr> <td align=center valign=top> <table width=90% bgcolor=ffffff> <tr> <td align=center valign=top> <tr> <td> <div align=center><p><b><font face="arial, helvetica" size=5 color=000000>BOOK BURNING</p> <p><FONT SIZE=4><b>CHAPTER 5 - THE LINDISFARNE GOSPELS</FONT></p>  <center> <table width="90%"> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top"> <div align="justify"> <p><font face="arial, helvetica" color="000000" size="3">Today we can examine the work of one monk, Eadrith (later the Bishop of Lindisfarne), who produced a stunning example of book painting that is even older than the Diamond Sutra. Although the manuscript is undated, The <a href="http://www.bl.uk/diglib/treasures/images/lindisfarne1.gif" ; target="_blank"><b>Lindisfarne Gospels</b></a> were likely copied and illustrated by <a href="http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/vg/images/lfgspl.jpg" ; target="_blank"><b>Eadrith</b></a> while he was still a monk at <a href="http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/vg/images/linpri.jpg" ; target="_blank"><b>Lindisfarne Priory</b></a>, on <a href="http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/vg/images/lincas.jpg" ; target="_blank"><b>Holy Island</b></a> (off the English Northumberland coast). Nothing remains of the original monastery. </p> <p align="justify">Since Eadrith became Bishop in 698 AD, (the date scholars typically use for the manuscript) <a href="http://saints.catholic.org/saints/bilfrid.html" target="_blank"><b>St. Bilfrid</b></a> bound the manuscript and added precious gems and metalwork to the binding. </p> <p align="justify">Currently owned by the British Library, The <a href="http://www.bl.uk/diglib/treasures/images/lindisfarne2.gif" target="_blank"><b>Lindisfarne Gospels</b></a> contain notes from a priest, Aldred, who also inserted a word-for-word Anglo-Saxon translation in the spaces between the lines of Latin text. Those insertions were probably made between 950 and 970 AD. </p> <p align="justify">In the meantime, the monks had fled invading Danish <a ; href="http://www.okelly.net/park/viking1.htm" target="_blank"><b>Vikings</b></a> who completely destroyed the monastery and looted everything left behind. The monks took with them their most important treasures: the <a href="http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/vg/images/cthcrs.jpg" ; target="_blank"><b>Cross of St. Cuthbert</b></a> (which was made on Holy Island) and their "books" (the Lindisfarne Gospels). </p> <p align="justify">The Gospels had no ordinary journey on that trip. While fleeing the Vikings, the monks and their books were shipwrecked in the Irish Sea. Later, the foot-high Lindisfarne Gospels miraculously washed ashore and were taken to <a ; href="http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dla0www/c_tour/monks.html" target="_blank"><b>Durham</b></a> where monks continued to produce other precious manuscripts.</p> </div> <p align="center"><font size="2"><a href="book_burning_ch4.htm">GO TO LAST CHAPTER</a>     <a href="book_burning_ch1.htm">BACK TO FIRST CHAPTER  </a>   <a href="book_burning_ch6.htm">GO TO NEXT CHAPTER</a></p><br> </td> </tr> </table>  </td> </tr> </table>  </td> </tr> </table> </body>