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The Library

Forty Centuries of Christian Writing

1780 works catalogued century by century, from the literature the Bible was written among to the present — each with a note on what it is, why it lasted, and where to read it.

601–700

The Seventh Century

1 work

c. 680–691

Latin

The Antiphonary of Bangor

Anonymous

A manuscript of hymns, canticles, and collects used at an Irish monastery, including a eucharistic hymn and a hymn on the fire of Pentecost.

Celtic · LiturgyRead elsewhere

701–800

The Eighth Century

1 work

c. 703–728

Latin

The Calendar of Willibrord

Willibrord and his circle · c. 658–739

A working liturgical calendar from a missionary bishop's own book, with a marginal note in his hand recording the year of his consecration.

Anglo-Saxon · CalendarRead elsewhere

901–1000

The Tenth Century

2 works

c. 975

Old English

The Vercelli Book

Anonymous

A manuscript of homilies and religious poems, including Andreas, Elene on the finding of the cross, and the fullest text of The Dream of the Rood.

Anglo-Saxon · AnthologyRead elsewhere

c. 960–990

Old English

The Exeter Book

Anonymous

The largest surviving collection of Old English poetry: the Christ poems, The Wanderer, The Seafarer, and ninety-odd riddles ranging from the devout to the frankly obscene.

Anglo-Saxon · AnthologyRead elsewhere

1001–1100

The Eleventh Century

1 work

1073

Old Church Slavonic

The Izbornik of 1073

Anonymous

An anthology of patristic extracts on doctrine and morals copied for a prince of Kyiv from a Bulgarian original, illuminated with a portrait of the ruling family.

Rus · AnthologyRead elsewhere