Ancient Christian Text Up for Auction in London
One of Christianity's oldest books is up for sale. The Codex Crosby-Schoyen, originating from Ancient Egypt, will be auctioned on June 11 in London.
The maximum estimated sale price is $3.8 million. These liturgical texts, penned on papyrus at an early Christian monastery, were utilised during the first Easter celebrations, as reported by Euronews.
Dating from the 2nd-3rd centuries AD, the book is included within a collection of texts unearthed in the 1950s. This broader trove encompasses Christian writings, biblical excerpts, and pagan texts.
"This is precisely during the transitional period when papyrus was evolving into the codex form," explained Eugenio Donadoni, specialist in Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts at Christie's.
The 104-page book was meticulously crafted by a single scribe over a span of 40 years at a monastery in Upper Egypt. The texts are carefully preserved behind plexiglass. The Codex houses the Book of Jonah and the First Epistle of Peter.
Initially discovered in Egypt in the 1950s, the Codex was acquired by the University of Mississippi and remained in their possession until 1981. It was later purchased in 1988 by Norwegian manuscript collector Dr. Martin Schoyen. He is now placing it up for auction alongside several other key pieces from his Schoyen collection, recognized as one of the world's largest private manuscript collections.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
