The Book of Kells

The Book of Kells stands as one of the most celebrated treasures of Christian heritage. Created around the late 8th or early 9th century, this illuminated manuscript contains the four Gospels of the New Testament, written in Latin and richly adorned with intricate decoration. Believed to have been produced by Celtic monks, likely at the monastery of Iona off the western coast of Scotland, the book reflects the fusion of Christian devotion with the artistic brilliance of early medieval Ireland and Britain. After a Viking raid on Iona in 806 AD, the surviving monks relocated to the Abbey of Kells in Ireland, where the manuscript was either begun or completed, giving the book its enduring name.