In the beginning: bibles before the year 1000

The Christian Bible is the best-selling book of all time. It has been produced in numerous editions, from the book form popularized more than 1,600 years ago, to tape recordings, CDs, and now on the Internet. However, few people know the fascinating history of the Bible. What were some of the first Bibles like? What materials were used to make them? In what language were they written?

"In the Beginning: Bibles Before the Year 1000" is a landmark exhibition showcasing the earliest biblical artifacts in existence, including pages and fragments written in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, Armenian, Ethiopian, and Coptic--many on display in the U.S. for the first time. Highlights include leaves from three of the six oldest surviving Hebrew codices; the oldest known manuscripts of the books of Numbers and Deuterono my; one of the earliest known manuscripts of the Gospels written in Latin; the oldest dated parchment biblical codex in the world; fragments from Codex Washingtonensis, fourth- and fifth-century Old Testament Greek manuscripts; a colorful painted cover of the Washington Manuscript Ill--The Four Gospels, depicting figures of St. Matthew and St. John; and a page from the earliest Bible with full-page illustration.

The roots of the Bible lie in the Middle East but, by the year 1000, it had reached Europe, transforming societies as it went and being shaped itself in turn. The story of that journey is told through this exhibition, which contains fragile fragments of papyrus, early parchment books, gorgeous illuminated manuscripts, and sumptuous jeweled bindings--all precious survivors of the holocausts of history. Each one has a tale to tell and opens up a landscape populated with colorful human stories.

"In the Beginning" presents the physical evidence of the Bible's evolution, assembled for the first time. The exhibition shows how the Bible mirrors successive ages and shapes societies by charting its initial fluidity, and attempts to define its contents and dissemination through the use of local languages, scripts, and ornament.

Visitors will begin to understand what motivated those who lovingly made such books, how Bibles were used in public worship, and how it was transformed from the simple manual of early Christian communities to a symbol of enduring faith.

"In the Beginning: Bibles Before the Year 1000" is on view through Jan. 7, 2007 at the Smithsonian Institution's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington, D.C.

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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning