description The Codex Gigas (Devil's Bible) Overview
The Codex Gigas, also known as the Devils Bible, is a massive illuminated manuscript containing the Vulgate Bible and the pseudo-Dionysius Areopagiticus. Its creation in the 12th century represents a later, but still significant, continuation of Hiberno-Saxon artistic traditions, showcasing a blend of styles and techniques.
help The Codex Gigas (Devil's Bible) FAQ
Why is the Codex Gigas called the Devil's Bible?
The nickname comes from its famous full-page portrait of the Devil and a later legend that a monk created the manuscript in a single night. Handwriting analysis instead indicates one scribe worked on it over many years.
Where is the Codex Gigas kept today?
The manuscript is held by the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm. Swedish forces took it from Prague as war booty in 1648 near the end of the Thirty Years' War.
What texts are inside the Codex Gigas besides the Bible?
Alongside most of the Latin Vulgate Bible, it includes works by Josephus, Isidore of Seville's Etymologiae, medical texts, a calendar, and historical material. Its contents make it an encyclopedic monastic volume rather than only an illustrated Bible.
Was the Codex Gigas really made in the 12th century?
It is generally dated to the early 13th century and associated with Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. That makes descriptions placing its creation firmly in the 12th century misleading.
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