Minuscule 277 is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, catalogued in the Gregory‑Aland numbering system. The codex is written on parchment and is palaeographically assigned to the 12th century.
Physical description
- Material: Parchment leaves.
- Extent: The manuscript contains the four Gospels, though some portions are missing (lacunae).
- Layout: Text is presented in a single column per page, with approximately 22–23 lines per column.
- Decoration and paratextual features: The codex includes lectionary markings, chapter (κεφαλαια) numbers in the margins, titles (τιτλοι) at the top of the pages, and occasional marginal notes. It also possesses decorative headpieces and ornamental initials typical of Byzantine manuscript art.
Textual character
Minuscule 277 is representative of the Byzantine text‑type. In the classification of Kurt Aland, it is placed in Category V, indicating that its text is of little significance for establishing the original New Testament text but is valuable for the study of the Byzantine tradition. The manuscript aligns closely with the K^x textual family in the Gospel of Luke, as determined by the Claremont Profile Method.
Provenance and current location
The codex originated in the Byzantine cultural sphere and was later transferred to Western collections. It is presently housed in the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, under the shelf‑mark Gr. 1156.
Scholarly examination
The manuscript was inspected by scholars such as Caspar René Gregory, who included it in his comprehensive catalog of Greek New Testament manuscripts. It has been cited in critical apparatuses of the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament and the Nestle‑Aland editions.
Significance
While Minuscule 277 does not provide a distinct textual witness that diverges from the dominant Byzantine tradition, it contributes to the overall understanding of manuscript transmission and the scribal practices of the 12th century Byzantine monastic scriptoria.
