3-044-277 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Gospel Book, early-late 13th century. Additional Info: Gospel books are the most common type of manuscript to survive from the Byzantine Empire, which was the eastern Roman Empire, centered in Constantinople (modern Istanbul), that existed from 330-1453 CE. Objects of personal and communal devotion, they served as rich gifts and were used in services. The Byzantines read different passages of scripture, called lections, each day in church, and many Gospel books, like this one, have those passages specially marked in their margins for ease of use. In addition to containing the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, this dramatically-illustrated volume begins with eight decorated charts called canon tables, a kind of index that helps readers to connect stories appearing in more than one gospel. Before each gospel account, there is an author portrait of the appropriate Evangelist facing an elaborately ornamented headpiece, which is a large floral and geometric decoration that introduce major parts of the text.