In a comment below, Caelus mentioned that he wanted to hear more about the Book of Kells. Which reminds me... if there's anything I mention here that you're particularly curious about and want to hear more about, just post a comment saying so, and I'll do what I can.
In the case of the Book of Kells, it's an early manuscript containing the 4 gospels, dating back to around 800 AD. It's history is nearly as colorful as the ornate celtic illustrations and lettering that have made it famous. It was once described as one of the the most valuable treasures of the western world, and after having been stolen/lost many times, it has been held at Trinity College in Dublin for safekeeping since the 1600's. For a more detailed and accurate description and history of it, here's what Wikipedia has to say.
As for my personal experience with the Book, it goes something like this:
January 1994-
Dad: "We'll have some time in the morning to go see the Book of Kells before we catch our plane home."
Me, Nate: "What's that?"
Dad: "It's an old book."
Me, Nate: "Great."
Person working at Trinity College Library: "I'm sorry, the exhibit doesn't open until [insert some time decidedly after when we'd need to be making our way to the airport here], but here are some pictures of it."
Me, Nate, Dad: "Great."
March 2005-
Me: "Well, we could walk over to check out Trinity College."
Sarah: "What's there?"
Me: "The Book of Kells. It's an old book."
Sarah: "Cool!"
Me: "But it's like 9pm. It won't be open."
Sarah: "Great."
May 2007-
Me: "Hmmm... I have a few hours to kill. It's not morning. It's not night. Maybe I can finally go see this damn book."
Person working at Trinity College Library: "That'll be 8 euros, please."
Me: ***inaudible grumbling***
Me: "Hmmm. It's a book. It's old. It's in two chunks, permanently opened to show a total of only 4 pages. It looks like the pictures I saw 13 years ago, except that there were more pictures than pages."
Person working at the Trinity College Library: "Would you like to buy a postcard? It has pictures of the Book."
Me: "Great."
I'm mostly selling it short for dramatic and attemptedly humorous purposes. In actuality, it was pretty cool to see, and you certainly get a sense of how fine the artwork is by seeing it in person and up close that is in no remote way translated to the blown up photos around the exhibit area.
There is also a fairly extensive display prior to seeing the book itself on the history of the book, the scribes and artisans who made it, and the process of how it was believed to have been made. The display also includes two lesser known but equally impressive and significant books contemporary to the one from Kells, The Book of Armagh and The Book of Durrow along with several other minor works of unknown specific history.
It's just that as various points of touristic interest that I've stumbled across go, at 8 euro, this one seems to rank pretty low on the bang-for-your-buck scale.
But as with anything, the actual value to be gotten depends on your particular interest and appreciation of what you see.
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2 comments:
hi Tristan,
Got a chuckle out've your entry. Your dad & I encountered EXTREMELY RUDE FRENCH TOURISTS at that exhibit. My initial reaction to the exhibit itself was the size of the pages. I expected them to be much larger. I was incredulous at the details in each manuscript, and at the time it must have taken to complete a page. I wonder if the scribes worked under deadlines like we have to. Bummer if they did.
Take care,
Judy
How much is 8 euro in American dollars?
Yeah, Dad was telling me about the French tourists. It wasn't too crowded when I was there, and all the tourists were southerners. Not sure that I wouldn't have rather had the French. ;)
The exchange rate right now is about 1.35, so 8 euro is almost $11 USD.
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