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Many books were printed and bound in the 16th and 17th centuries. Bookbinders used parchment to strengthen their book bindings; that material was expensive and therefore people often chose to cut up old, medieval manuscripts. This often involved manuscripts that had lost their value: books that were too Catholic or were written in a language that could no longer be read.Something very special was found in a number of book bindings in the Alkmaar Regional Archive: 21 fragments of a manuscript from the 11th century, an almost 1,000-year-old Latin psalter with Old English glosses. Thijs Porck, senior university lecturer of...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) -- Scholars at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary have discovered, within the institution's Spurgeon Library collection, a Psalter that 19th-century Baptist pastor Charles Spurgeon used in the compilation of his commentary on the book of Psalms, "The Treasury of David." "One of the purposes for the existence of the Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Seminary is to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the church and the academy by preserving the personal library of Charles Haddon Spurgeon and fostering a deeper appreciation of his life, legacy, theology and preaching," Jason K. Allen, president of Midwestern Seminary, said....

Irish scientists have found fragments of Egyptian papyrus in the leather cover of an ancient book of psalms that was unearthed from a peat bog, Ireland's National Museum said on Monday. The papyrus in the lining of the Egyptian-style leather cover of the 1,200-year-old manuscript, "potentially represents the first tangible connection between early Irish Christianity and the Middle Eastern Coptic Church", the Museum said. "It is a finding that asks many questions and has confounded some of the accepted theories about the history of early Christianity in Ireland." Raghnall O Floinn, head of collections at the Museum, said the manuscript,...

An eighth-century religious manuscript described as " more important than the Dead Sea Scrolls" has finally been put on display at the National Museum of Ireland. The 1,200 year old religious manuscript was found in a bog with the Latin words of Psalm 83 open. It had lain undisturbed for 1,200 years. The psalm closes with the words: “Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD—that you alone are the Most High over all the earth." The National Museum rated the work as of "staggering importance" and says the book of psalms or psalter is among the top...

'Psalm in a bog' linked to Israel's current war By Joe Kovacs © 2006 WorldNetDaily.com The "miraculous" find of ancient psalms in an Irish bog has some wondering if there's any special modern relevance, since the discovery dealt with the enemies of Israel attempting to destroy the nation. A construction worker in Ireland came across the ancient 20-page book dated to the years 800-1000 A.D. while driving his backhoe's shovel into the mud last week. Experts say it's impossible to say how the manuscript ended up there, but speculate it may have been lost in transit or dumped after a...

Ancient Latin Translation of Psalms Found in Irish Bog 01:24 Jul 30, '06 / 5 Av 5766 by Ezra HaLevi Archaeologists in Ireland found an ancient Latin translation of the Psalms of King David last week. Which Psalm the book was open to when preserved in the Irish bog has been a subject of confusion. (file photo) The ancient book was discovered in a bog by a construction worker who spotted it while driving the shovel of his backhoe into an area nearby. The approximately 20-page book has been dated to the years 800-1000. It was initially reported that Latin...

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Irish archaeologists Tuesday heralded the discovery of an ancient book of psalms by a construction worker who spotted something while driving the shovel of his backhoe into a bog. The approximately 20-page book has been dated to the years 800-1000. Trinity College manuscripts expert Bernard Meehan said it was the first discovery of an Irish early medieval document in two centuries. "This is really a miracle find," said Pat Wallace, director of the National Museum of Ireland, which has the book stored in refrigeration and facing years of painstaking analysis before being put on public display. "There's...

TROUBLE IN THE HOLY LAND 'Psalm in a bog' linked to Israel's current war Some say Scripture find in Ireland has meaning with present conflict Posted: July 26, 2006 8:53 p.m. Eastern By Joe Kovacs -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © 2006 WorldNetDaily.com The "miraculous" find of ancient psalms in an Irish bog has some wondering if there's any special modern relevance, since the discovery dealt with the enemies of Israel attempting to destroy the nation. Ancient book of psalms found in Irish bog by construction worker was opened to Psalm 83 (photo: National Museum of Ireland) A construction worker in Ireland came across...

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...

Treasure emerges from the mud of history Dalya Alberg, Arts CorrespondentConservators say the psalter can be restored, although the centres of all the pages have rotted To the untutored eye, it looks like a lump of mud, but experts say that an 8th-century psalter found in an Irish peat bog is exceptionally significant. Even though the vellum pages of the early Book of Psalms are a crumpled mass, they are likening it to the Book of Kells, one of the world’s most beautiful illuminated manuscripts. As the find is thought to date from the late 8th century, the illuminators of...

From Psalter of Jesus: "The Jesus Psalter is believed to have been composed in England by the Brigittine monk, Richard Whitford, who called himself "the Wretch of Sion". This devotion was near and dear to the hearts of English Catholics in the days of persecution. It was printed and sold separately as early as 1520, though no copy from that period is known to have survived. In the oldest manuscripts and books the text of the prayer was usually given in English with the various notes and instructions in Latin." From The Jesus Psalter, Arranged For Public Recitation By A...