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Garima Gospels

Illuminated Manuscripts and Calligraphic Works

The Garima Gospels are three ancient Ge'ez manuscripts containing all four canonical Gospel books, along with supplementary material such as lists of Gospel chapters. Garima 2, the earliest, is believed to be the earliest surviving complete illuminated Christian manuscript, with radiocarbon analysis proposing a date of around 390 to 570, while Garima 1 has been dated to around 530 to 660.

Facts
Year Created
480 1
Radiocarbon dated: Garima 2 to 390-570, Garima 1 to 530-660; 480 (Garima 2 midpoint, the earlier and better-known volume) used as a circa estimate.
Medium
Illuminated Geʽez manuscript on parchment 1
Location
Abba Garima Monastery, near Adwa, Ethiopia 1
Classification
Genre
Manuscript Illumination 1
Connections

In Form

Calligraphy, Art Forms

Early illuminated Ethiopian Gospel manuscript.

In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Garima Gospels (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Dating section
    390 to 570 for Garima 2, and 530 to 660 for Garima 1.
  • Manuscript description section
    Garima 2, also in Geʽez, is a 322-page folio written by a different scribe.
  • Location section
    The Gospels are housed in Ethiopia's Abba Garima Monastery.
  • Genre reference
    Garima 2, the earliest, is believed to be the earliest surviving complete illuminated Christian manuscript, with radiocarbon analysis proposing a date of around 390 to 570, while Garima 1 has been dated to around 530 to 660.
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