Historians believe the book of Kells was most likely produced on the Isle of Iona, Scotland and was taken over to Ireland around the 9th century to protect it from the Viking raids. The crowning glory of this book is not so much the religious manuscript but more so the exceptional artwork that is interwoven into the text, in which not one symbol was duplicated! I can only imagine that the monks who painstakingly worked on these illustrations over years must have had a real depth of loyalty and love. The fantastic Celtic designs are painted onto vellum (calfskin) producing an excellent surface, and imported from the continent were rare and expensive dyes, which produced the vivid colours.It is a must for me to visit Trinity College Library, Dublin and see this wonderful creation for myself.
Recommended reading, Dublin by Edward Rutherford.
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