AUTHOR: UNKNOWN SCRIBES

LANGUAGE: GREEK

DATE: EARLY 4TH CENTURY

PAGE #: 284

REPRODUCTION DIMENSIONS: 11.75 X 8.75 IN

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HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: CODEX VATICANUS IS KNOWN TO BE ONE OF THE OLDEST GREEK BIBLES, CONTAINING BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. IT HAS BEEN WRITTEN ON FINE PARCHMENT IN A THREE COLUMN FORMAT USING UNCIAL CODICE WITH NO SPACING, CAPITALIZATION, AND MINIMAL PUNCTUATION. THE MANUSCRIPT IS NOT COMPLETE, WITH PAGES THROUGHOUT MISSING. FROM HEBREWS 9:14 TO REVELATION WAS MISSING UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED IN THE 15TH CENTURY WITH A MINUSCULE SUPPLEMENT. CODEX VATICANUS IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY TWO SCRIBES. IT IS PRESUMED THAT SOMETIME AROUND THE 10TH OR 11TH CENTURIES A THIRD SCRIBE RETRACED THE TEXT OF THE MANUSCRIPT.

THE ORIGIN OF CODEX VATICANUS IS ULTIMATELY UNKNOWN. HOWEVER, THAT HAS NOT STOPPED SCHOLARS FROM ARGUING AND SPECULATING. IT HAS BEEN DEBATED THAT IT COULD HAVE COME FROM ROME, ASIA MINOR, OR EVEN EGYPT. THE CODEX IS BELIEVED THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN HOUSED IN CAESAREA IN THE 6TH CENTURY. ULTIMATELY MAKING ITS WAY TO ITALY FROM CONSTANTINOPLE BY NAPOLEON I AFTER THE COUNCIL OF FLORENCE (1438-1445). IT WAS IN 1445 THAT THE VATICAN FIRST CATALOGUED THIS MANUSCRIPT, WHERE IT REMAINS. THUS RECEIVING THE NAME THE CODEX VATICANUS.

TODAY THE CODEX IS STILL HOUSED IN VATICAN CITY BEING CONSERVED AT THE VATICAN LIBRARY.

REPRODUCTION DETAILS: OUR HARDCOVER BOOKS ARE MADE WITH REAL WOOD FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE FRONT AND BACK COVERS AS WELL AS THE SPINE. THE LEATHER IS A 4 OZ COWHIDE, FROM A SMALL SUPPLIER IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE LEATHER IS ADHERED TO THE COVERS WITH GLUE AND MOLDED INTO THE SHAPE AT THE HAND OF OUR LOCAL ARTISANS. THE SIGNATURES/PAGES ARE HANDSEWN USING A LIBRARY BINDING METHOD. THE SEWN BOOK IS BOUND WITH A STRONG ADHESIVE GLUE THAT MAKES THE BINDINGS LAST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LARGER BOOKS. WE ALSO ADD A THICK MULL CLOTH TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BINDING, DRYING IN BETWEEN EACH LAYER, A TRADITIONAL WAY TO MAKE THE BINDING STIFF, STRONG, AND RESILIENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

NOTE: ALL OF OUR FACSIMILES ARE MADE TO ORDER. PLEASE ALLOW 4-6 WEEKS FOR NOTIFICATION OF SHIPMENT.