codex gigas

The Codex Gigas (English: Giant Book) is the largest extant medieval manuscript in the world[1]. It was created in the early 13th century in the Benedictine monastery of Podlažice in Bohemia, and is now preserved at the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm[1], where two librarians are needed to lift it. It is also known as the Devil's Bible due to a large illustration of the devil on the inside and the legend surrounding its creation. Contents [hide] 1 Appearance 2 History 2.1 Swedish plunder 2.2 Return to Prague 3 Content 4 Legend 5 See also 6 External links 7 Further reading 8 References //

Appearance The codex is richly illuminated throughout.

The codex is contained in a wooden folder, covered with leather and ornamented with metal. At 92 cm (36.2in.) tall, 50 cm (19.7in.) wide and 22 cm (8.6in.) thick it is the largest known medieval manuscript[2]. It initially contained 320 vellum sheets, though eight of these were subsequently removed[3]. It is unknown who removed the pages or for what purpose but it seems likely that they contained the monastic rules of the Benedictines. The codex weighs nearly 75 kg (165 lbs.) and the vellum is composed of calf skin (or donkey according to some sources) from 160 animals.

History

The codex was created in the Benedictine monastery of Podlažice near Chrudim, which was destroyed during the 15th century. Records in the codex end in the year 1229. The codex was later pledged to the Cistercians Sedlec monastery and then bought by the Benedictine monastery in Brevnov. From 1477-1593 it was kept in the library of a monastery in Broumov until it was taken to Prague in 1594 to form a part of the collections of Rudolf II.

Swedish plunder

At the end of the Thirty Years' War in the year 1648, the entire collection was stolen by the Swedish army as plunder. From 1649 to 2007 the manuscript was kept in the Swedish Royal Library in Stockholm. The site of its creation is marked by a maquette in the town museum of Chrast.

Return to Prague

On September 24, 2007, after 359 years, Codex Gigas returned to Prague on loan from Sweden until January 2008 (on display previously at the Czech National Library).[4][5][6]

Content

The Codex includes the entire Latin Vulgate version of the Bible, except for the books of Acts and Revelation, which are from a pre-Vulgate version. Also included are Isidore of Seville's encyclopedia Etymologiae, Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews, Cosmas of Prague's Chronicle of Bohemia, various tractates (from history, etymology and physiology), a calendar with necrologium, a list of brothers in Podlažice monastery, magic formulae and other local records. The entire document is written in Latin. Illustration of the devil, page 290. Legend has it the codex was created by a monk who sold his soul to the devil.

The manuscript includes illuminations in red, blue, yellow, green and gold. Capital letters are