Spirit of Orthodoxy Choir

An early mediaeval Christian psalter (prayer book) was discovered in a bog in July 2006, in the Irish midlands. It is estimated to have been in the bog for between 1,000 and 1,200 years, but the book itself has yet to be formally identified, named or dated by Irish archaeological authorities. This discovery is hailed by the National Museum of Ireland as one of the most significant Irish archaeological finds in decades. An expert who was called in to advise on the discovery said that he believes the psalter is the first discovery of an Irish early mediaeval manuscript in two centuries.

Description

The book is written in Latin on vellum pages and extensive fragments have survived. Early research shows that the approximately 20 recovered pages are those of a slim, large-format book with a wraparound vellum or leather cover ("[like] a very thick wallet in appearance") from which the text block has slipped. It is believed to have been made for and belonged to an ancient Irish Christian monastery. Low oxygen levels in the bog provide unusual preservation conditions, and bogs were often used by Irish monks as hiding places for valuables in the face of Viking raids. In addition to low oxygen levels, sphagnum moss, of which the peat bog is composed, produces an antibiotic substance called sphagnan that binds with proteins on the surface of microorganisims, immobilizing them. Its highly reactive carbonyl groups can alter chemicals and nutrients that would otherwise decompose organic matter. And above all the sphagnum moss causes organic material to undergo chemical changes itself that make it impervious to rot.[1]

Discovery

It was uncovered by a worker extracting peat with a backhoe. Dr. Patrick Wallace, director of the National Museum, praised the finder for immediately having covered the book with damp soil, as exposure to dry air after so many centuries of dampness might have destroyed it. The book is being stored in refrigeration at the National Museum. Identifying the safest way to pry open the pages without damaging or destroying them could take months, and conservation work could take two years. A team of archaeologists continues to explore the site. The exact location of the find has not been disclosed while this continues.

Misreported prophecy

When found, the book was opened to a page displaying Psalm 83 (in the Septuagint numbering), which corresponds with Psalm 84 in the Masoretic numbering used in most English-language translations. Due to confusion regarding differences in numbering the Psalms, some news sites reported that the Psalter was "prophetically" open to a reference to the destruction of Israel and connected the find with the current 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. The matter was clarified by the director of the National Museum of Ireland, who pointed out the difference in Septuagint vs. Masoretic numbering and that the psalm in question contains no reference to the destruction of Israel.