Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
Get ready for a rare opportunity to bid on the Crosby-Schøyen Codex, a significant early Christian manuscript featuring five unique texts all transcribed by the same scribe. This extraordinary piece of history will be auctioned at Christie’s in London in June, with an estimated price range of £2–£3 million. Don’t miss your chance to own a valuable example of the origins of Christian literature and culture.
While much attention has been given to the claim that this 1,700-year-old codex contains the oldest complete versions of Jonah and 1 Peter, the manuscript offers much more than that. By exploring the additional documents it holds, the historical context in which it was created, and the theological insights it provides, the Crosby-Schøyen Codex becomes even more intriguing.
Originally discovered in Egypt in 1952 alongside other buried manuscripts, this codex, consisting of 104 papyrus pages, is written in Coptic, an ancient Egyptian language known for preserving early Christian texts. It is believed to have originated from one of the Pachomian monasteries near Dishna in eastern Egypt, dating back to the 4th century AD. Radiocarbon analysis and scholarly research suggest a timeframe of 330 to 350 AD for the text, making it the oldest privately owned book of its kind.
What sets this codex apart is not just its age and completeness, but the rich content it holds. The texts within the Crosby-Schøyen Codex offer valuable insights into a transformative period of early Christianity, shaping the religion’s theology and culture in profound ways.
2024-06-02 15:51:02
Link from phys.org