Gospel Book (British Library, MS Egerton 768)

MS Egerton 768 is a late 10th- or early 11th-century illuminated Gospel Book held in the British Library. It is written in Latin and contains the text of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The manuscript is notable for its Hiberno-Saxon style of illumination, exhibiting characteristics of both Irish and English artistic traditions of the period.

The decoration within MS Egerton 768 includes full-page miniatures of the Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), as well as decorated initial pages at the beginning of each Gospel. These initials are elaborate and interlaced, reflecting the characteristic Celtic knotwork and animal interlace found in other Insular manuscripts. The manuscript also features canon tables, which are used to correlate parallel passages in the four Gospels.

While not as elaborately decorated as some of the more famous Insular Gospel Books (such as the Book of Kells or the Lindisfarne Gospels), MS Egerton 768 provides valuable insight into the development and dissemination of Hiberno-Saxon art. It is believed to have been produced in England, possibly in a monastic center with strong Irish connections. The manuscript’s current location within the British Library underscores its significance as a historical and artistic artifact. Its pages offer researchers and enthusiasts alike a glimpse into the artistry, scholarship, and religious devotion of the Anglo-Saxon period.