Bibliopath ping.
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Posted on 07/25/2006 12:21:17 PM PDT by lunarbicep
IRELAND'S national museum today hailed what it said was one of the most significant discoveries in decades - and perhaps centuries - after an ancient prayer book was found by chance in an Irish bog.
The National Museum of Ireland said fragments of what appeared to be an ancient Psalter or Book of Psalms, written around AD 800, 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 Friday, 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.
The museum said it did not know how the manuscript ended up in the bog.
"It may have been lost in transit or dumped after a raid, possibly more than a thousand to twelve hundred years ago."
Part of Psalm 83, a lament to God over other nations' attempts to wipe out Israel, is legible but the museum said the extent to which other Psalms or additional texts are preserved would only be determined by lengthy work by a team of experts.
Bernard Meehan, Head of Manuscripts at Trinity College Dublin, who was invited to advise on the context and background of the manuscript, said he believed it was the first discovery of an Irish Early Medieval manuscript in two centuries.
Initial impressions placed the composition date of the manuscript at about AD 800, a time of Viking raids in Ireland.
Bump
a lament to God over other nations' attempts to wipe out Israel.
Interesting that THIS passage should manifest itself at this time...
Painfully obvious statement, I say.
EU wake up!
Ping
There are no coincidences, just divine interventions of the Holy Spirit.
You ain't 'kiddin!
This shows two things : A : Discovering that the Psalm in question is about a lamment about nations attacking Isreal, shows that Heaven is very upset with what Hezbollah is doing and B : Also shows that the Irish was a bright light to a west that was in the Darkness of the Dark Ages.
Agree completely. 650 French Jews decided to return to Israel - and live in the North - just yesterday.
They left France to live in a war zone. Nothing like divine inspiration at work there.
Bibliopath ping.
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Wow fantastic find
Fascinating - although the description of a Latin Psalter as an Irish "Dead Sea Scrolls" is a bit much.
I BET THE LIBRARY FINES ARE ASTRONOMICAL!........
This is very interesting and of all places Christian Ireland.
Exceedingly cool.
"shows that Heaven is very upset with what Hezbollah is doing"
And presumably upset at those who do not fulfil their duties to support and help Israel.
ping
Very interesting.
Psalm 83
Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee.my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind... My God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
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