I've just finished watching an intriguing programme on RTE1 about treasures from our bogs. In light of my recent exploration of early Christian places in Louth and Meath this comes as hugely interesting. A Psalter is a book of psalms. Wow so this Psalter had papyrus on its cover which has been unheard of in Ireland. And perhaps we owe more to the Coptic church in the Middle East than we do to Roman Catholicism. The book resembles the style of books produced in the Coptic way. The Coptic Church was founded by Saint Mark in Egypt in the first century. He was one of the four evangelists. The experts are dating the book to roughly 800 a.d.
The Psalter is going to go on exhibiton in the National Museum this Summer. It was found in a bog in North Tipperary and it looked like a pile of sludge when found though clearly resembled a book with a leather cover too.
