Book of Kells

Kells, Book ofIlluminated depiction of the first two letters of Christ's name in Greek, chi and rho; from the Book of Kells, c. 800 AD.

Book of Kells, illuminated gospel book (MS. A.I. 6; Trinity College Library, Dublin) that is a masterpiece of the ornate Hiberno-Saxon style. It is probable that the illumination was begun in the late 8th century at the Irish monastery on the Scottish island of Iona and that after a Viking raid the book was taken to the monastery of Kells in County Meath, where it may have been completed in the early 9th century. A facsimile was published in 1974.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
Citation Information
Article Title: Book of Kells
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 04 January 2025
Access Date: February 22, 2025