Editing Cumdach (section)

==Surviving examples==
{{lang|sga|Cumdachs}} are particular to Ireland.<ref name ="hc">Crawford (1923), p. 75</ref> There are eight known surviving Irish examples (in chronological order: the Lough Kinale Book-Shrine, Soiscél Molaisse, [[Stowe Missal]], The Cathach, Shrine of Miosach, [[Book of Dimma]], Shrine of the Book of Moling, and Shrine of Caillín of Fenagh)<ref name="m297">Moss (2014), p. 297</ref> with a further two—of the nine extant—"house-shaped shrines", namely the 12th century St Manchan's shrine and the {{circa|1350}} additions to the [[Domnach Airgid]].<ref>Moss (2014), pp. 286, 294</ref> All are protective enclosures intended to permanently seal off a manuscript or relic, and date from between the early 9th to the mid-16 centuries.<ref name="m294">Moss (2014), p. 294</ref>

Several of the earliest documented examples are now lost. The [[Book of Durrow]] had a metal casing dated to {{circa|1002–1015}}<ref>Mitchell (1996), pp. 5, 29</ref> and the Book of Kells lost its {{lang|sga|cumdach}} when it was stolen in 1006. The [[Book of Armagh]] was given a cover in 937, which was perhaps lost when it was captured in battle and ransomed by the Norman [[John de Courcy]] in 1177.<ref>Crawford (1923), p. 76</ref> The earliest documented example was made to house and protect the Book of Durrow at the behest of the High King of Ireland [[Flann Sinna]] (877–916), by which point it was at Durrow, and believed to be a relic of [[Columba]] (Colum Cille).<ref name="on14" >O'Neill (2014), p. 14</ref> The shrine was lost in the 17th century, but its appearance, including an inscription recording the king's patronage, is recorded in a note from 1677, now bound into the book as folio IIv, although other inscriptions are not transcribed. Once in their shrines, such manuscripts were rarely, if ever, removed for use as a book.<ref>Meehan (1996), p. 13</ref>

===Lough Kinale Book Shrine===
The earliest-known {{lang|sga|cumdach}} is also the largest surviving example. Dated to the late 8th or early 9th century,<ref>Overbey (2012), pp. 5–6</ref><ref name="tcd">"[https://www.tcd.ie/library/early-irish-mss/enshrining-the-book/#more-694 Enshrining The Book]". [[Trinity College Dublin]], 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2021</ref> it was not rediscovered until 1986 when found by divers at a depth of {{cvt|2|m}} of water in the [[County Longford]] side of [[Lough Kinale]].<ref>Kelly (1993), p. 168</ref> Moss speculates that it was thrown in the water to evade being taken during a local chieftain feud or before a Viking raid. The inner structure is of oak, lined with tin and bronze plates attached by nails. Its front cover contains a large central cross, five [[Boss (engineering)|bosse]]s in [[bronze]], and four rounded openwork medallions containing [[spiral]] and [[lentoid]] patterns. The figures on the sides include beast heads.<ref name="m300" /> A 2016 valuation by the NMI priced the object at £2 million (€2.54 million).<ref name="it">Gartland, Fiona. "[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/early-christian-book-shrine-caused-much-soul-searching-1.2916994 Early Christian book shrine caused much soul searching]". ''[[The Irish Times]]'', 30 December 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2021</ref>

===Soiscél Molaisse===
[[File:Soiscél Molaisse (St. Matthew).jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Detail a panel on the front showing [[Matthew the Apostle]].<ref name="s19">Stokes (1871), p. 19</ref>]]
The [[Soiscél Molaisse]], also known as the Sheskill Molash, is the oldest surviving {{lang|sga|cumdach}} example largely in its original form, and was made in the early 11th century to hold the gospels of [[Laisrén mac Nad Froích|Molaise]].<ref>NMI (R4006)</ref><ref name="s37">Stevick (2008), p. 37</ref> It measures {{cvt|14.75|cm}} high, {{cvt|11.70|cm}} wide and {{cvt|8.45|cm}} thick<ref name="of51">Ó Floinn (1989), 51–52</ref> and was built in three phases. The wooden core with bronze casing is 8th century, to which silver plaques were fastened with nails and rivets in the 11th century, and it was re-worked again in the 14th or 15th century.<ref name="m300" />

Some of the figures and other elements date to the 14th century, and can be identified as they were [[solder]]ed to the plates.<ref name="of54">Ó Floinn (1989), 54</ref> The top face is mainly silvered bronze and [[silver-gilt]] and contains panels the four [[symbols of the Evangelists]] in the spaces between a cross. Some of the panels are lost; those that remain have gold [[filigree]] interlaced [[knotwork]].<ref>Antiquities, 233</ref> The filigree on the arms of the cross are [[Gilding|gilted]] and decorated with ribbon interlace. The ends of the arms were set with gems, now also lost except for one blue stone.<ref name="of57">Ó Floinn (1989), 57</ref> Two of panels around the sides are lost. The two remaining contain [[interlace (art)|interlace]] and Latin inscription around their borders.<ref name="of57" /> Its small size indicates that the original object, like the Book of Dimma, was designed to be held in a pocket.<ref name="of51">Ó Floinn (1989), 51–52</ref>

===Stowe Missal===
[[File:Stowe Missal Side.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Sidel panel, [[Stowe Missal]]]]
The [[Stowe Missal]] is a sacramentary dating to about 750. Its {{lang|sga|cumdach}} consists of metalwork plaques attached with nails to an older [[oak]] container. The metalwork is elaborately decorated, with some animal and human figures, and one face and the sides probably date to between 1027 and 1033, on the basis of inscriptions recording its donation and making, while the other face is later, and can be dated to about 1375, again from its inscriptions.<ref>Ó Floinn, "Description"; Warner, xliv – lvii, Plates I – VI; Stokes, 78; [http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3532/3247595327_34c830d099.jpg older face from Flickr]</ref>

The older "lower" face, which has become detached from the case, is in silver-gilt copper alloy, with a large cross inside a border that carries the inscription in Irish, which also runs along the arms of the cross. The centre of the cross was later replaced ("severely embellished" as the National Museum put it),<ref>Wallace (2002), p. 234</ref> probably at the same time as the later face, by a setting for a now missing large stone with four lobed sections, similar to the centre of the lower face. The inscription has missing sections because of this, but can mostly be reconstructed as asking for a prayer for the abbot of Lorrha, Mathgamain Ua Cathail ({{circa|1037}}) and for [[Find Ua Dúngalaigh]], king of [[Múscraige Tíre]] ({{circa|1033}}).

===Cathach of St. Columba===
[[File:Contenitore per manoscritto di san colombano, di cathach, in argento e cristallo di rocca su anima lignea, 1090 ca. poi xiv secolo, da ballymagroarty, co. donegal 01.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|The Shrine of [[Cathach of St. Columba]]]]
The [[Cathach of St. Columba]], also known as The Cathach, is probably the best-known {{lang|sga|cumdach}}. Built for the Cathach of St. Columba, an important [[psalter]] usually dated to just after the death of Colum Cille in 597, it is probably the earliest Irish book to survive and a very prestigious relic.<ref name="on12">O'Neill (2014), p. 12</ref> The manuscript belonged to the O'Donnells while its shrine was famously used as a battle standard.<ref name="s80">Stokes (2011), p. 80</ref>

The initial metalwork dates from 1072 to 1098 at [[Kells, County Meath|Kells]], when a new protective casing of wood and silver was added. The front cover was added in the 14th century, and included a large seated [[Christ in Majesty]] flanked by scenes of the Crucifixion and saints in gilt [[repoussé]].<ref>Antiquities, pp. 233, 269; Stokes, p. 79</ref> It was taken to the continent in 1691 following the [[Treaty of Limerick]], and did not return to Ireland until 1813. That year the {{lang|sga|cumdach}} was reopened, leading to the rediscovery of the manuscript. It was by then in very poor condition, but underwent a major restoration in 1982 when the extant pages were rebound and remounted on [[vellum]] leaves.<ref name="on12" />

===Shrine of Miosach===
[[File:Cassetta di libro sacro di san cairneach, lati dell'xi secolo e fronte del 1534, in argento dorato e filigranato con cristallo di rocca su anima di legno, da clonmany co. donegal.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|Panel for the front of the Shrine of Miosach, late 11th century, added to c. 1534]]
The [[Shrine of Miosach]] (or The Misach) originates from [[Clonmany]], [[County Donegal]], and was also used in battle.<ref>Lucas (1986), p. 27</ref> Originally a late 11th-century relic, it was reworked in 1534 by the goldsmith Brian O'Morrison with repoussé silver decoration with many figures around a cross.<ref>NMI 2001:84, 23.2&nbsp;cm wide</ref><ref name="tcd" /> O'Morrison added twelve front plates in three arrangements, including depictions of the crowned Virgin and Child in the smaller inner panels,<ref name="fp3">Fitzpatrick (2004), p. 3</ref> and, in four larger panels, [[Brigid of Kildare|Saint Bridget]], [[Saint Patrick|St. Patrick]] and Colm Cille.<ref name="tcd" />

There is no record of what the original container might have held. The object was at first associated with St Cairneach of Dulane, [[County Meath]], but by the Gothic period had been "absorbed into the cult of St Columba".<ref>Antiquities, 269</ref><ref>Moss (2014), pp. 302–303</ref> The 11th-century cast [[copper alloy]] plates on the sides are decorated with openwork [[zoomorphic]] illustrations. Its metal cord survives for carrying it, and it was probably round the neck.<ref name="mu302">Mullarkey (2014), 302</ref>

===Domnach Airgid===
[[File:Domhnach Airgid.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Front of the Domnach Airgid, late 8–9th and 14–15th centuries]]
The [[Domnach Airgid]], whose title translates in English as the ''Silver church'', dates to the 8th century, but little is visible from before major additions dated to {{circa|1350}} under commission by the abbot of [[Clones, County Monaghan|Clones]]. A three-dimensional figure of Christ crucified is at the centre of the main face, accompanied by [[relief]] plaques of saints, the Virgin and Child and other scenes on the sides.<ref name="m294" />

The reliefs are more sophisticated compared to the other known 14th-century {{lang|sga|cumdachs}}, with elegant running animals on small mounts at the corners. It is signed by its goldsmith John O Bardan, who is recorded living at [[Drogheda]]; by then goldsmiths in Ireland, as elsewhere in Europe, were usually laymen.<ref>Antiquities, 261–262, 270</ref>

===Book of Dimma===
The [[Book of Dimma]] cumdach dates to the 12th century and was built for the small 8th-century manuscript known as the Book of Dimma. The manuscript is traditionally associated with the abbey's founder [[Crónán of Roscrea|St Crónán]] ({{abbr|died|d.}} 619). Its small size indicated it was intended as a portable pocket book used for study or contemplation. It is made up of copies of four Gospels and contains stylised portraits of the [[Apostles in the New Testament|Apostles]] [[Gospel of Matthew|St. Matthew]], [[Gospel of Mark|St. Mark]] and [[Gospel of Luke|St. Luke]].<ref name="on26" />

The shrine consists of a shell of decorated bronze plates, and like its [[illuminated manuscript]] originates from the abbey of [[Roscrea]]. The first phase of the {{lang|sga|cumdach}} was completed during a period of prosperity for the abbey and broadly coincides with the building of a [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] church on the site. It was refurbished {{circa|1400}} by one of the chieftains of the local Ua Cerbaill family.<ref name="on26">O'Neill (2014), p. 26</ref> One face of the {{lang|sga|cumdach}}'s panels of openwork decoration in Viking [[Viking art#Ringerike Style|Ringerike]] style. Like the manuscript, it is in [[Trinity College Dublin|Trinity College]] Library, Dublin, while an early 20th-century reproduction is in New York.<ref>[https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/463142 Book of Dimma Shrine: early 20th century (original dated 11th century)]". [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]. Retrieved 2 July 2021</ref>

===Shrine of Caillín of Fenagh===
[[File:Cailin shrine.png|thumb|upright=1.2|The Shrine of St. Caillín, NMI]]

{{main|Shrine of St Caillín}}
The Shrine of Caillín of Fenagh is a late example built to hold a {{circa|1516}} manuscript which updates a much earlier book detailing the life of St. [[Caillín]] of [[Fenagh, County Leitrim]] (fl. {{circa|570}}), which may have been written by the saint himself.<ref>"[https://www.ria.ie/shrine-st-caillin-fenagh-and-its-place-irish-late-medieval-art The shrine of St Caillín of Fenagh and its place in Irish late medieval art]". [[Royal Irish Academy]], 2016.  Retrieved 7 July 2021</ref><ref name="s18">Scott (2017), p. 18</ref> Caillín is described by Lucas as "something of a specialist in the production of battle talismans"<ref name="l19">Lucas (1986), p. 19</ref> and according to legend, in his lifetime commissioned a number of battle standards, including {{lang|sga|cathachs}} in the form a bell and a containers for a Gospel.<ref name="l19" /> It was badly damaged in a devastating 2009 fire at [[St Mel's Cathedral]], Longford, where it had been kept since 1980.<ref name="s20">Scott (2017), p. 20</ref> The remains of the shrine was acquired by the NMI the following year; the manuscript is now in the collection of the [[Royal Irish Academy]].<ref>Scott (2017), pp. 18, 20</ref> There is some doubt as to if the shrine was actually intended as a {{lang|sga|cumdach}}, including the fact that it is smaller than the manuscript.<ref name="s20" />