The Book of Kells

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	The Long Room inside Trinity College Library

As best we can determine, the Book of Kells was copied by hand and illuminated by monks around the year 800 A.D. Although it was probably begun on the island of Iona, between Scotland and Ireland, its name is derived from the Abbey of Kells, in the Irish Midlands, where it was kept from at least the 9th century to 1541. One theory has it that portions of the book were made at Kells, after Viking raids on Iona forced the monastery to retreat to the more isolated location.

Some of the Knotwork and Scrollwork on these pages can only be seen with a X10 magnifying glass. (which was not invented until 4 centuries AFTER the book was made). The Scrollwork is full of runic symbols which have yet to be interpreted!