In a Monastery Library: Preserving Codex Sinaiticus and the Greek Written Heritage

McKendrick, Scot

ISBN 10: 0712349405 / ISBN 13: 9780712349406

Published by British Library, 2007

About this Item

Seller Inventory # 59K52_54_0712349405

Bibliographic Details

• Title: In a Monastery Library: Preserving Codex Sinaiticus and the Greek Written Heritage
• Publisher: British Library
• Publication Date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0712349405
• ISBN 13: 9780712349406
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

"In a Monastery Library" tells the compelling true story of how the Codex was discovered at the Monastery of St Catherine on Mount Sinai in Egypt, and explores the complexity, time and cost of its ambitious production. Just as intriguing is the history of how the Codex came to be dispersed throughout the world, with its precious leaves now divided between Egypt, Russia, Austria and England. For example, when in the 1930s it became known in Britain that the Soviets desperately needed to raise foreign capital, the British government purchased 347 leaves from Russia for the princely sum of GBP100,000. When the Codex leaves arrived at the British Museum on 27 December 1933, long queues formed to view the magnificent treasure. Finally, the book tells how all surviving leaves of the Codex will soon be gathered together again and made accessible to a worldwide audience for the first time through digitization.

About the Author

Dr Scot McKendrick is Head of Western Manuscripts at the British Library. His previous books include Flemish Illuminated Manuscripts 1400-1500 and (as editor) Bible as Book: Transmissions of the Greek Text (both British Library, 2003).