A remarkable piece of Christian history is poised to make headlines at an upcoming auction in London, as the unique Crosby-Schøyen Codex, recognised as certainly one of the earliest Christian liturgical books, is anticipated to command a price easily exceeding £2 million.
Penned on Egyptian papyrus in the course of the period of 250-350 A.D. and crafted throughout the confines of certainly one of the earliest Christian monasteries, the codex represents a pivotal moment within the evolution of bookmaking.
Speaking to Reuters, Eugenio Donadoni, Senior Specialist in Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts at Christie’s, underscored the codex’s significance.
“It’s right at that period, that transitional period when papyrus scroll starts turning into codex form. So, books as we all know them today. And what we’ve on this book is the earliest known texts of two books of the Bible,” he said.
Comprising 104 pages with 52 leaves, meticulously inscribed over 4 a long time, the codex holds inside its ancient pages texts including biblical passages from Jonah, 2 Maccabees 5:27 – 7:41, 1 Peter, Melito of Sardis’ Peri Pascha 47 – 105, and an unidentified sermon for Easter Morning.
Donadoni attributed its preservation to Egypt’s dry climate, emphasising that only a handful of books from the third and 4th centuries have survived to the current day as a consequence of these conditions.
“All the most important finds of Christian manuscripts that we had within the twentieth century and at the tip of the nineteenth century are all concentrated in Egypt for those very precise climatic conditions,” he explained.
Originally discovered within the Nineteen Fifties, the codex made its strategy to the University of Mississippi until 1981 when it was acquired by Dr Martin Schøyen, a renowned manuscript collector.
Currently displayed for public viewing at Christie’s New York from April 2 to 9, the Crosby-Schøyen Codex is about to go under the hammer in London on June 11, promising to draw collectors and students alike with its unparalleled historical significance.
