Carpet page facts for kids
A carpet page is a special page found in old, handmade books called illuminated manuscripts. These pages are completely covered with beautiful, detailed patterns. They don't usually show people or animals. Carpet pages are a unique part of books made in places like Ireland and Britain long ago. You often find them at the start of a Gospel Book.
These pages are known for their bright colors and complex designs. Many patterns are made of shapes, like squares and circles. They often include repeated animal forms, but in a very stylized way. Carpet pages are different from pages that just have a fancy first letter (called a historiated initial), even though the art style might be similar.
Carpet pages usually look the same if you fold them in half, both up and down, and side to side. This is called being symmetrical. Some art experts think these pages were inspired by similar decorated pages from old Egyptian books. They also seem to borrow ideas from metal art made around the same time. Even fancy rugs or fabrics from the East might have given artists ideas. The leather cover of the St Cuthbert Gospel looks like a simple carpet page. Also, old metal book covers, like the one on the Lindau Gospels, are very similar. Some people also think Roman floor art (mosaics) seen in Britain could have been an influence.
Famous Examples
The oldest known carpet page is from a book called the Bobbio Orosius, made in the early 600s. You can find amazing carpet pages in famous books like the Book of Kells, the Lindisfarne Gospels, and the Book of Durrow.
Carpet pages also appear in some old Hebrew books from the Middle Ages. They usually mark the beginning of important parts of the book. Islamic books, especially the Qur'ans, often have pages full of complex geometric designs too. However, people usually don't call them "carpet pages."
Gallery
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An early example from the Book of Durrow
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A carpet page from the Book of Kells
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An example of Islamic geometric decoration
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Another Islamic decorative page
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A decorated page from an Islamic manuscript
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A carpet page from the Leningrad Codex
