Repairing the harm of the unspeakable
The library is known to contain several non-canonical texts, known as the Gnostic Gospels.
It's believed that three or four people worked on the manuscript, which has several pages missing, and even corrections marked on the text. Some 27,000 of them, to be more precise. The book survived for centuries in the Monastery of St. Catherine, at the base of Mount Sinai in Egypt.
The Codex Sinaiticus is actually the oldest Bible known to exist. Also known as the Sinai Bible, it's a Christian manuscript of a Greek Bible dating back to the 4th century.
The Nag Hammadi Library is a collection of 13 books discovered in 1945 near the town of Nag Hammadi in Egypt. The books date back to the 4th century.
Interestingly, the Gärima Gospels contain a fifth gospel, in addition to those of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It belongs to a man named Eusebius of Caesarea.
The title of the book derives from the fact that it was originally believed that the author was Roman writer Apuleius of Madaura. The modern consensus, though, is that several authors were involved.
The Gärima Gospels are actually two Ethiopic illuminated manuscripts. It was believed they dated back to the 1st century, but modern carbon dating methods actually date the books to the 4th century, with certain parts possibly being from the mid 7th century.
Dating back to the 7th century, the Codex Parisino-Petropolitanus is one of the oldest surviving copies of the Quran. Though some experts argue that it may originate as early as the late 6th century.
This ancient book was placed inside the coffin of St. Cuthbert, who died in 687. The St. Cuthbert Gospel is the oldest surviving intact European book.
The book consists of prayers, poems, and other writings. The pages vary slightly in size, and the handwriting differs according to the text. For this reason some experts argue that this was not a book as such, but a collection of writings.
The codex was kept in the Amr Mosque in Egypt for many years, before pages were stolen and some sold around the world. It's believed that the Codex Parisino-Petropolitanus was written by at least five different people.
It was created by monks on the Scottish island of Iona around 800 CE. Following a Viking raid in 806 CE, the book was taken to the Irish town of Kells and years later ended up at Trinity College in Dublin.
Around 60 pages are believed to be missing, but other than that the book is in great condition overall.
The Book of Kells is a beautiful manuscript written in Latin. It contains the four gospels of the New Testament.
The Celtic Psalter is Scotland's oldest surviving book, dating back to the 11th century CE. It consists of a collection of psalms handwritten in Latin, and contains Celtic and Pictish illustrations.
It's believed that this ancient pocket-sized book was made by monks at the Iona Abbey, located on the island of Iona, just off the west coast of Scotland.
The Miroslav Gospel is one of the earliest surviving examples of Serbian literature, dating back to 1180. It's written in a transitional language, between Old Church Slavonic and Serbian.
The book was commissioned for Miroslav of Hum, a 12th-century prince, and was kept in a monastery for centuries.
The Gutenberg Bible was first printed in Mainz, Germany. As the name indicates, it is copy of the Bible.
The Miroslav Gospel has 362 pages, and one of the scribes is actually credited in the book. His name is Grigorij.
The Gutenberg Bible is the "oldest mechanically-printed book" (and holds a Guinness World Record for it). It dates back to 1455.
Johannes Gutenberg is the man who introduced letterpress printing to Europe. As of today, 48 copies of the book survived, though only 20 of them are complete.
The book dates back to 868 CE. It was discovered in 1900 by a monk in the "Cave of a Thousand Buddhas" in China.
The Madrid Codex, which consists of horoscopes and almanacs, is written in a group of Mayan languages known as Yucatecan.
The Madrid Codex, also known as the Tro-Cortesianus Codex, was discovered in Spain in the 1860s. The pre-Columbian Mayan manuscript dates back to around 900–1521 CE.
The Diamond Sutra is a Buddhist holy text, and the oldest dated printed book known to exist.
In 1964, three gold plates dating back to 500 BCE were found in Pyrgi, Italy. The plates, which contain a dedication from King Thefarie Velianas to the Phoenician goddess Astarte, had holes, which make scholars believe that the plates were once bound as a book.
The gospel was found in 1104 CE and moved around to be kept safe from Viking invasions. The gospel is considered a Catholic Church relic.
The Etruscan Gold Book is believed to be the oldest book in the world. It's estimated to be over 2,670 years old. Words, written in the Etruscan language, are engraved in golden plates. The language has never been deciphered, so its contents remain a mystery to this day.
Not all ancient books are about religion. In fact, one of the oldest surviving books in the world is a herbal (containing plant and medical information). The book dates back to the 6th century, and it's believed to be based on the writings of Roman naturalist and philosopher Pliny of the 4th century.
A Siddur is a Jewish prayer book. The oldest surviving copy dates back to 820 CE.
The Siddur is written in an ancient form of Hebrew that uses a system of marks over letters known as "Babylonian vowel pointing."
Books are fascinating things. Indeed, where would we be today without the written word, right? Unfortunately, many books were lost over the years and many others were destroyed. Luckily, though, some ancient books stood the test of time and are still among us.
Curious to find out which books survived throughout the centuries? Click on and learn all about them.
Gospels, codexes, and more: These are the oldest books in the world
One manuscript is over 2,600 years old
LIFESTYLE World book day
Books are fascinating things. Indeed, where would we be today without the written word, right? Unfortunately, many books were lost over the years and many others were destroyed. Luckily, though, some ancient books stood the test of time and are still among us.
Curious to find out which books survived throughout the centuries? Click on and learn all about them.