Codex Usserianus Primus facts for kids
The Codex Usserianus Primus is a very old and important book from the early 600s. It's a Gospel Book, which means it contains the four Gospels from the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This special book is written in Old Latin, which was an early form of the Latin Bible text. Today, you can find it at the Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland.
Contents
What is the Codex Usserianus Primus?
This ancient book is made from about 180 pages of vellum, which is a type of parchment made from animal skin. Over time, the pages have become damaged, with some pieces missing and discolored. The missing parts are called lacunae. For example, some parts of Matthew, John, and Mark are no longer there.
The Gospels in this book are arranged in a unique order: Matthew, John, Luke, and then Mark. This is different from how they usually appear in most Bibles today.
Special Decorations and Style
Even though it's very old, the Codex Usserianus Primus still has one beautiful decoration left. At the end of the Gospel of Luke, there's a cross outlined with black dots. This cross is placed between the Greek letters alpha (Α) and omega (Ω), which are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. They often represent "the beginning and the end."
This decoration is surrounded by a triple square frame made of dots and small "s" shapes. This style of decorating text with dots was very new at the time. It became a popular way to add art to later Irish manuscripts. Some letters at the beginning of sections also have small red dots around them, making them stand out.
Where Was It Made?
For a long time, people thought this book might have been made in a monastery called Bobbio, in Italy. However, experts now believe it was actually created in Ireland. If this is true, it would be the oldest surviving book (or codex) ever made in Ireland!
The Book's Name
The name "Codex Usserianus Primus" means "the First Book of Ussher." It's named after a famous Irish archbishop named James Ussher, who lived much later. Even though the book is named after him, it's not clear if he ever actually owned it.
The person who gave the book its name and studied its text was Thomas Kingsmill Abbott. He carefully compared the words in the codex to other Bible texts in 1884.
Where to See It Today
Today, the Codex Usserianus Primus is kept safely at Trinity College Dublin in Dublin. If you're curious, you can even view it online! The Trinity College Library has a special website called Digital Collections where you can see the pages of this amazing ancient book.
See also
- List of New Testament Latin manuscripts
- Codex Usserianus II
