Zeyt'un Gospels
Date:
1256
Location or Findspot (Modern-Day Country):
Turkey
Medium:
Parchment
Dimensions:
26.5 × 19 cm
Description:
The Zeyt'un Gospels are the earliest signed work by the Armenian scribe and illuminator T'oros Roslin, who was active in the thirteenth century (roughly 1256–68). The canon tables shown here, like canon tables more generally, were designed to help readers find related passages in the different gospels. This system of cross-referencing was designed by Eusebius of Caesarea in the fourth century and became a common feature of Gospel books. Manuscript illuminators began to present these tables within elaborate architectural frames, often incorporating representations of flora, fauna, and precious materials. The imagery does not necessarily related to the text of the Gospels but instead helps to enshrine them and elevate their status.
Relevant Textbook Chapter(s):
9
Repository and Online Resources:
• Find out more about this manuscript on the website of the J. Paul Getty Museum.
• Learn more about the study of Armenian illuminated manuscripts from this Dumbarton Oaks podcast.
