AUTHOR: ANONYMOUS, 2 POEMS BY CYNEWULF

LANGUAGE: OLD ENGLISH

DATE: 10TH CENTURY

PAGE #: 135

REPRODUCTION DIMENSIONS: 11.25 X 8.75 IN

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: THIS MYSTERIOUS ANGLO-SAXON MANUSCRIPT WAS FOUND IN 1822 IN THE CATHEDRAL LIBRARY OF VERCELLI, ITALY. IT IS UNKNOWN HOW OR WHEN IT CAME TO BE IN THE LIBRARY; OR EVEN WHO BROUGHT IT THERE, GIVING IT THE NAME, THE VERCELLI BOOK. THE VERCELLI BOOK HAS BEEN DATED BY SCHOLARS TO BE FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE TENTH CENTURY. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE BOOK COULD HAVE FOUND ITS WAY TO VERCELLI IN THE ELEVENTH CENTURY WHILE BISHOPS MADE THEIR PILGRIMAGE FROM CANTERBURY TO ROME. IT WAS CUSTOMARY FOR BISHOPS TO MAKE A DONATION TO CHURCHES DURING THEIR PILGRIMAGE.

THE VERCELLI BOOK IS COMPRISED OF A COLLECTION OF 6 POEMS AND 23 PROSE HOMILIES WRITTEN BY MOSTLY ANONYMOUS AUTHORS. A SINGLE SCRIBE BROUGHT ALL OF THESE WORKS TOGETHER INTO ONE MANUSCRIPTS. TWO OF THE POEMS ARE WRITTEN BY CYNEWULF, ONE OF THE FEW KNOWN ANGLO-SAXON POETS OF THE NINTH CENTURY, RESIDED IN NORTHUMBRIA OR MERCIA. CYNEWULF WROTE, THE FATES OF THE APOSTLES AND ELENE. LITTLE ELSE IS KNOWN OF THIS AUTHOR. OUT OF THE OTHER PIECES IN THIS MANUSCRIPT, THE DREAM OF THE ROOD, IS THE PIECE THAT HAS THE MOST NOTORIETY IN THE VERCELLI BOOK. THE POEM IS A DREAM VISION THAT TAKES THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE TREE THAT WAS USED AS THE CROSS FOR THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST.

TODAY THE VERCELLI BOOK IS STILL HOUSED IN THE CATHEDRAL LIBRARY IN VERCELLI, BIBLIOTECA CAPITOLARE DI VICELLI. IT HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF MANY SCHOLARS SINCE 2005 TO RESEARCH, PRESERVE, ANALYZE, AND DIGITIZE THIS RARE ANGLO-SAXON VERSE MANUSCRIPT.

REPRODUCTION DETAILS: OUR HARDCOVER BOOKS ARE MADE WITH REAL WOOD FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE FRONT AND BACK COVERS AS WELL AS THE SPINE. THE LEATHER IS A 4 OZ COWHIDE, FROM A SMALL SUPPLIER IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE LEATHER IS ADHERED TO THE COVERS WITH GLUE AND MOLDED INTO THE SHAPE AT THE HAND OF OUR LOCAL ARTISANS. THE SIGNATURES/PAGES ARE HANDSEWN USING A LIBRARY BINDING METHOD. THE SEWN BOOK IS BOUND WITH A STRONG ADHESIVE GLUE THAT MAKES THE BINDINGS LAST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LARGER BOOKS. WE ALSO ADD A THICK MULL CLOTH TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BINDING, DRYING IN BETWEEN EACH LAYER, A TRADITIONAL WAY TO MAKE THE BINDING STIFF, STRONG, AND RESILIENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

NOTE: ALL OF OUR FACSIMILES ARE MADE TO ORDER. PLEASE ALLOW 4-6 WEEKS FOR NOTIFICATION OF SHIPMENT.