The Gigas, also known as the Devil's Bible, is the largest known medieval manuscript. Here are some key facts about it:
History
Date: Around AD 1200.
Discovery: It was produced in the Benedictine monastery of Podlažice in Bohemia (in the present-day Czech Republic).
Current owner: It is currently held in the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm.
Composition
Text: It contains the complete Bible in Latin, along with other religious and secular texts, such as the Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus, the encyclopedia of Isidore of Seville, and medical treatises.
Format: It measures 92 cm high, 50 cm wide and 22 cm thick, and weighs about 75 kg.
Materials: It is made up of 310 leaves of vellum.
Importance
Text: It belongs to the Western text, which means that it is very close to the original versions of the Scriptures.
Condition: It is one of the few manuscripts to have been preserved in its entirety.
Study: It is of crucial importance for textual criticism and the history of the biblical texts.
Legend
According to a medieval legend, the was written in a single night by a monk named Herman the Recluse, who is said to have sold his soul to the devil to accomplish this task. The page depicting the devil is often cited as evidence for this legend.
The Gigas is a precious witness to the history of the biblical text and the transmission of the Scriptures down the centuries.