British Library, Add. 14459
Encyclopedia
British Library, Add. 14459, Syriac
manuscript
of the New Testament
, on a parchment. It is dated by a colophon
to the year 528-529 or 537-538 (partially illegible colophon). It is one of the oldest manuscript of Peshitta
and the earliest dated manuscript containing two of the Gospels in Syriac (folios 67-169). The manuscript is bound with another (folios 1-66) dated to the 5th century.
(beginning with 6:20) and Gospel of Mark
on folios 1-66. It is written in a beautiful, Edesene Estrangela hand. The manuscript was described by Wright
and Gwilliam. It is dated to the 5th century.
The manuscript is housed at the British Library
(Additional Manuscripts 14459, folios 1-66) in London.
and Gospel of John
, on folios 67-169 (20.3 by 12.7 cm). Written in one column per page, in 25-27 lines per page.
It was written in a small, elegant Estrangela hand. Folio 74 is a palimpsest leaf from the 9th or the 10th century. Probably it was added by the same hand who retouched folios 162 and 163. The more ancient text of the folio is of Matthew 3:6-9.11-13; 3:16-4:1; 4:4-6, according to Peshitta version.
Many lessons have been noted on the margin by later hand, sometimes in barbarous Greek.
The manuscript was described by Wright
.
The manuscript is housed at the British Library
(Additional Manuscripts 14459, folios 67-169) in London.
Syriac language
Syriac is a dialect of Middle Aramaic that was once spoken across much of the Fertile Crescent. Having first appeared as a script in the 1st century AD after being spoken as an unwritten language for five centuries, Classical Syriac became a major literary language throughout the Middle East from...
manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, on a parchment. It is dated by a colophon
Colophon (publishing)
In publishing, a colophon is either:* A brief description of publication or production notes relevant to the edition, in modern books usually located at the reverse of the title page, but can also sometimes be located at the end of the book, or...
to the year 528-529 or 537-538 (partially illegible colophon). It is one of the oldest manuscript of Peshitta
Peshitta
The Peshitta is the standard version of the Bible for churches in the Syriac tradition.The Old Testament of the Peshitta was translated into Syriac from the Hebrew, probably in the 2nd century AD...
and the earliest dated manuscript containing two of the Gospels in Syriac (folios 67-169). The manuscript is bound with another (folios 1-66) dated to the 5th century.
Folios 1-66
It contains the text of the Gospel of MatthewGospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
(beginning with 6:20) and Gospel of Mark
Gospel of Mark
The Gospel According to Mark , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Mark or simply Mark, is the second book of the New Testament. This canonical account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the three synoptic gospels. It was thought to be an epitome, which accounts for its place as the second...
on folios 1-66. It is written in a beautiful, Edesene Estrangela hand. The manuscript was described by Wright
William Aldis Wright
William Aldis Wright , was an English writer and editor.William Aldis Wright was son of George Wright, a Baptist minister in Beccles. He was educated at Beccles Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1858...
and Gwilliam. It is dated to the 5th century.
The manuscript is housed at the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
(Additional Manuscripts 14459, folios 1-66) in London.
Folios 67-169
It contains the text of the Gospel of LukeGospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
and Gospel of John
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
, on folios 67-169 (20.3 by 12.7 cm). Written in one column per page, in 25-27 lines per page.
It was written in a small, elegant Estrangela hand. Folio 74 is a palimpsest leaf from the 9th or the 10th century. Probably it was added by the same hand who retouched folios 162 and 163. The more ancient text of the folio is of Matthew 3:6-9.11-13; 3:16-4:1; 4:4-6, according to Peshitta version.
Many lessons have been noted on the margin by later hand, sometimes in barbarous Greek.
The manuscript was described by Wright
William Aldis Wright
William Aldis Wright , was an English writer and editor.William Aldis Wright was son of George Wright, a Baptist minister in Beccles. He was educated at Beccles Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1858...
.
The manuscript is housed at the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
(Additional Manuscripts 14459, folios 67-169) in London.
See also
- List of the Syriac New Testament manuscripts
- Syriac versions of the BibleSyriac versions of the BibleSyria played an important or even predominant role in the beginning of Christianity. Here were written the Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of Luke, the Didache, Ignatiana, and the Gospel of Thomas. Syria was the country in which the Greek language intersected with the Syriac, which was closely...
- Biblical manuscriptBiblical manuscriptA biblical manuscript is any handwritten copy of a portion of the text of the Bible. The word Bible comes from the Greek biblia ; manuscript comes from Latin manu and scriptum...
- British Library, Add. 14466British Library, Add. 14466British Library, Add. 14466, Syriac manuscript of the New Testament, according to Peshitta version, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 10 or 11th century.- Description :...
- British Library, Add. 14479British Library, Add. 14479British Library, Add. 14479, Syriac manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. It is dated by a colophon to the year 534. It is one of the oldest manuscript of Peshitta and the earliest dated Peshitta Apostolos.- Description :...
Further reading
- William WrightWilliam Aldis WrightWilliam Aldis Wright , was an English writer and editor.William Aldis Wright was son of George Wright, a Baptist minister in Beccles. He was educated at Beccles Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1858...
, Catalogue of the Syriac manuscripts in the British Museum (1870, reprint: Gorgias PressGorgias PressGorgias Press is an academic publisher of books and journals covering a range of religious and language studies that include Syriac language, Eastern Christianity, Ancient Near East, Arabic and Islam, Early Christianity, Judaism, and more. Gorgias Press was founded in 2001 by George Kiraz, and is...
2002), pp. 67-68.