24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
Codex Sinaiticus Bible Reunited In British Library Online Project
By 24 Hour Museum Staff
21/07/2008
Image: photograph of an open very old book with thin vertical columns of text
Picture: the British Library's Codex Sinaiticus containing the Book of Psalms and the Gospel of Mark. © the British Library
A “unique treasure” of Biblical history is to be made available online for the first time through a collaborative project between the British Library and three other major international institutions.
The Codex Sinaiticus, considered to be the world’s most important Biblical manuscript, dates from the fourth century and is thought to be the earliest, most complete Christian bible.
The manuscript is, however, split up and housed in four different locations - London, Sinai, St Petersburg and Leipzig. This means that pages from one book of the bible manuscript might be housed in two or more different repositories.
The initial website launch on July 24 2008 will mean that 25 per cent of the manuscript’s 800 extant pages and over 40 fragments will be available online. This will be the first time that some pages have been seen together in one place for centuries.
As well as images of the actual pages, the website will have a transcription of the manuscript’s contents along with all corrections added throughout its long history. The site will also include many interactive features, allowing scholars and enthusiasts alike to perform research and access the manuscript’s features.
Image: photograph of some greek writing in an old manuscript
A detail from the Codex Sinaiticus showing a tear in the ancient parchment. © the British Library
While the project intends to have all parts of the Codex Sinaiticus online by July 2009, this year’s initial launch will give access to 106 pages held by the British Library. These include the complete Book of Psalms and the Gospel of Mark.
A further 28 fragment pages from the British Library collection will also be added. These pages enable the online completion of a further six Biblical texts when joined with the parts of the manuscript housed at Leipzig University. These texts include 1 Chronicles, Jeremiah and Lamentations.
As well as translations of some parts of the manuscript from the Greek into English and German, the website will also allow users to explore cross-referencing between both the transcription and the image of the manuscript itself. For instance, pointing at a word on the transcription will highlight the equivalent word in the image.
Image: photograph from a page from an old manuscript
A page from the Codex Sinaiticus showing the many corrections and annotations made over the years. © the British Library
Different lighting choices will be available to give users an experience of seeing the manuscript in different ways. Users can choose between standard light for straightforward research or raking light. Raking light, which lights an object from an angle, will allow an aesthetic appreciation of the physical features of the ancient parchment.
The British Library’s Head of Western Manuscripts said: “Only a few people have ever had the opportunity to see more than a couple of pages of the world’s oldest Bible. The website will make it possible for anyone to see this absolutely unique treasure.”
Alongside the university at Leipzig, other holders of the parts of the Codex and collaborators with the British Library in this groundbreaking project include the National Library of Russia and the Greek Orthodox St Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai. This monastery which is the oldest continuously active Christian community, traces its own roots, like that of the Codex Sinaiticus, back to the fourth century.
British Library, London
British Library, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB, England
T: 020 7412 7332
Open: Mon, Wed-Fri 0930-1800
Tues 0930-2000
Sat 0930-1700
Sun and English Public Holidays 1100-1700
Closed: 24 - 28 December 2007
1 January 2007
Closing at 17.00 23 and 29 - 31 December 2007
Related Articles
Library Thief Update: Sentencing Adjourned Until January 16, 2009
Library Thief To Be Sentenced At Wood Green Crown Court Today
Rare Ted Hughes Recording To Be Aired By University Of Exeter
Massive Ted Hughes Archive Acquired By British Library
The Golden Generation Of British Theatre At The British Library
British Library Acquires Dering Roll - A Who's Who Of Medieval Arms
Summer 2008 Holiday Ideas At UK Heritage Sites And Museums
E-news registration
E-mail story to a friend
Tell us what you think
Mark Leckey Scoops £25,000 And The 2008 Turner Prize
Library Thief Update: Sentencing Adjourned Until January 16, 2009
Fund Aims To Realise Long Campaign For Cardiff Museum
Britglyph Art Campaign Uses Web To Make Mass Geoglyph
Inaugural Awards Ceremony Honours UK Arts Philanthropists
Rare Silver Cup Commemorating Coronation Of Charles II Is Saved For The Nation
London Fire Brigade Museum Escapes Closure - For Now
Another Busy Year For Archaeology On Orkney In 2008
Severndroog Castle To Be Restored Thanks To Lottery Grant
Campaign To Save Captain Scott's Hut Needs Another £65,000
Open Air Lab Project Launches At The Natural History Museum
Gravity Defying Vertical Racer Drives Kids Up the Wall At MOSI
DCMS And English Heritage List Seven London Bridges
Railway Museums Launch Joint WWII Railway Worker Project
Bowes Museum Famous Mechanical Swan Goes Back On Show In December
Free Admission To Historic Scotland Sites For St Andrew's Day
Fund Raising Scheme Is Backing Great North Museum: Hancock
Tyneside Gallery Plots New Display After Funding Victory
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.