Why Is Kells Important

The Book of Kells is perceived to hold a historical significance for many reasons. It is an intriguing object of study. It reveals insights on religious, economic, and social praxis of the time which it was created in [1], the early medieval life in Ireland. This manuscript allows us to learn of the monastic community status within the community at the time. [2]

Parts of the Book of Kells was rumoured to have originated from Durrow and Iona as well as others from the continent but later moved to Kells some two hundred years after St Colum Cille’s death because Viking raids made it too dangerous for the monks to continue living on the island [11]. Also, the monastery of Kells was recognized as self-sufficient group [9]. Young men who entered the monastery had different roles such as farming, teaching and missionaries. Prior to the Book of Kells, there were many other manuscripts written in different locations with few or no decorative illustrations.
As seen from the following image, a illustration to show the beginning of a new chapter. Once again, this portrays the importance of religion to the monks and how much they cherished the word of God such that they wanted to beautify it to its best. folio 13r Beginning of a new chapter [13]
The Book of Kells is also the most lavishly beautified series of gospel manuscripts produced between the seventh and ninth centuries [6]. The authors decorated the manuscripts with colours to increase its sense of appeal. A variety of colour dyes were utilized to put into the making of the Book of Kells. In the period where the Book of Kells was made, colour pigments were hard to come by and were considered precious materials. These pigments came from many different sources, a few of which were very far from where the book was crafted