Book of Kells

What is the Book of Kells?

• An ancient illuminated manuscript

• A modern novel

• A famous painting

• A historical sculpture

Before printing was invented, how were books written?

• Printed using machines

• Created digitally

• Written out in full by hand

• Dictated to scribes

When do experts say the Book of Kells was created?

• Around AD 1000

• Around AD 500

• Around AD 800

• Around AD 1500

What is a scribe? Where in a monastery does a scribe work?

• A cook who prepared meals, in the kitchen

• A monk who wrote and decorated books, in scriptoriums

• A builder who constructed buildings, in the workshop

• A gardener who tended to plants, in the garden

How is the Book of Kells decorated?

• With traditional Christian iconography and delicate swirling motifs

• With random splashes of color

• With abstract geometric patterns

• With graffiti and street art

Why do researchers believe the Book of Kells was written?

• To honor the anniversary of St. Columcille’s death

• To celebrate a royal wedding

• To mark the end of a war

• To record historical battles

How were the pages of the Book of Kells made?

• Made from plastic by a machine

• Made from recycled paper by hand

• Made from wood pulp by a printing press

• Made from vellum (calfskin) by soaking, scraping, and stretching

What did the monks use to make ink?

• The juices from crushed oak apples and soot

• Ink cartridges from a printer

• Synthetic chemicals from a factory

• Watercolor paints from a store

Where is the Book of Kells located today?

• In the Long Room at Trinity College, Dublin

• In a hidden cave in the mountains

• In a sunken ship at the bottom of the ocean

• In a remote desert oasis

Why do you think the Book of Kells is considered a great treasure in Ireland today?

• Due to its age and smell

• Due to its size and weight

• Due to the illustrations, colourful illuminations, and vibrant decorations

• Due to its simplicity and plainness