[MR] BBC: New Book of Kells Controversy

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble friends,

Today the BBC is offering a brief illustrated -- no make that "illuminated"
-- piece on the origin of the famous Book of Kells.

The fantastically decorated Gospel book has long been thought a product of
Saint Columba's monastery on Iona in the Hebrides Islands. After the Book
survived Viking raids, it is believed to have been spirited for safekeeping
away to a sister monastery in Kells, Ireland. In 1661 the Book of Kells was
acquired by Trinity College in Dublin, where it remains to this day.

Now some researchers are trying to make a case that the book was actually
produced by another Scottish island monastery at Portmahomack in Easter
Ross. Excavations there have uncovered a parchmenarie, that is, a workshop
where vellum was produced on a large scale. Additional finds include glass
stud mounts similar to those used on the Book of Kells, *suggesting* that
complete book production might have happened at Portmahomack.

Well, that is a long way from disproving the Iona origin for the Book of
Kells. There is little doubt the Book is associated with Iona or other
Columban monasteries, though documentary evidence dates to a 1007 entry in
the Annals of Ulster. We shall see how the Portmahomack claims stack up.
Keep in mind that the parchment itself could have come from Portmahomack,
with the book illuminated and bound elsewhere.

The BBC story is at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8r4jxj0e3jo .

You can read about the Book of Kells at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Kells . Note the image of a very
blonde Christ enthroned in the summary block at the top right of the page.

More about Iona Abbey is found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iona_Abbey .

A page on Kells Abbey is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_of_Kells .

Finally, Wikipedia offers a brief page on Portmahomack which includes
mention of the monastery at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portmahomack .

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a crusade to keep the original Merry Rose relevant and in
business.