Jared Moya
July 31st, 2006, 01:18 PM
An ancient prayer book found in an Irish bog is being hailed as one of Ireland's most significant archeological discoveries.
The National Museum of Ireland said fragments of what appeared to be an ancient Psalter or Book of Psalms, written about AD800, were uncovered by a bulldozer in a bog in the south Midlands.
"In discovery terms, this Irish equivalent to the Dead Sea Scrolls is being hailed by the museum's experts as the greatest find ever from a European bog," the museum said in a statement.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, found in the mid 20th century, are considered to be of enormous religious and historical significance since they include some of the earliest known surviving biblical documents.
The Irish discovery, recovered from bogland last Thursday, comprises extensive fragments of what is thought to be an Irish Early Christian Psalter, written on vellum, a fine animal skin parchment.
"In my wildest hopes, I could only have dreamed of a discovery as fragile and rare as this," museum director Pat Wallace said, adding it was not so much the fragments themselves, but what they represented, that was of such "staggering" importance.
"It testifies to the incredible richness of the Early Christian civilisation of this island and to the greatness of ancient Ireland," he said.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/07/26/1153816221849.html
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/07/26/bogbook_wideweb__470x296,0.jpg
The National Museum of Ireland said fragments of what appeared to be an ancient Psalter or Book of Psalms, written about AD800, were uncovered by a bulldozer in a bog in the south Midlands.
"In discovery terms, this Irish equivalent to the Dead Sea Scrolls is being hailed by the museum's experts as the greatest find ever from a European bog," the museum said in a statement.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, found in the mid 20th century, are considered to be of enormous religious and historical significance since they include some of the earliest known surviving biblical documents.
The Irish discovery, recovered from bogland last Thursday, comprises extensive fragments of what is thought to be an Irish Early Christian Psalter, written on vellum, a fine animal skin parchment.
"In my wildest hopes, I could only have dreamed of a discovery as fragile and rare as this," museum director Pat Wallace said, adding it was not so much the fragments themselves, but what they represented, that was of such "staggering" importance.
"It testifies to the incredible richness of the Early Christian civilisation of this island and to the greatness of ancient Ireland," he said.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/07/26/1153816221849.html
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/07/26/bogbook_wideweb__470x296,0.jpg