It is unclear exactly how the medieval manuscript came about. But we know that it was written in the Kingdom of Bohemia – now the western part of Czechia – sometime between 1204 and 1230.
Among other things, the manuscript contains a complete Bible, historical texts, magic formulas and spells.
With the Devil’s help?
A legend concerning the origin of the Codex Gigas relates that a lone scribe wrote the entire work over the course of a single night. A legend concerning the origin of the Codex Gigas relates that a lone scribe wrote the entire work over the course of a single night. When the scribe realised that the task was beyond his powers, he asked the Devil for help. The legend has absolutely no basis in reality. However, it does testify to the fact that the size of the Devil's Bible made such an impression that people accounted for its origins with reference to the supernatural.
Jerusalem and the Devil
The two full-page pictures on a spread towards the end of the book show Heavenly Jerusalem and the portrait of the Devil. The positioning of the pictures highlights the difference between the symbol of hope and salvation on the one hand, and that of darkness and evil on the other.
History of the Codex Gigas
It is unclear exactly how the medieval manuscript came about. But we know that it was written in the Kingdom of Bohemia – now the western part of Czechia – sometime between 1204 and 1230.
The Codex Gigas was created for a Bohemian monastery, but was brought to Sweden as spoils of war in the 17th century. Among other things, the manuscript contains a complete Bible, historical texts, magic formulas and spells. The codex gigas is the largest extant medieval manuscript in the world. It is also known as the devil’s bible, because of a large illustration of the devil on the inside and the legend surrounding its creation. It is thought to have been created in the early 12th century, in the benedictine monastery of Podlazice in Bohemia (modern Czech Republic).
Date: 12th century
Current Location: National Library of Sweeden
Size of the facsimile / Format: 600 pages / 41 x 24cm / 9.45" x 16.2"
Binding: Luxurious black leatherbound- gold foil lettering on the cover.
Dimensions: 41 x 24cm / 9.45" x 16.2"
The original’s dimensions are 36in tall, 20in wide, and 9in thick. The weight is a staggering 165 pounds! Our reproduction is still very large, but a smaller version of the original. A reproduction of the authentic dimensions is also available upon request.
CODEX GIGAS Devil's Bible 12th Century
According to one version of a legend already recorded in the Middle Ages, the scribe was a monk who broke his monastic vows and was sentenced to be walled up alive. To escape death, he promised to create, in one night, a book to glorify the monastery forever, including all human knowledge. Near midnight, he became so desperate that he prayed to Lucifer to help him finish the book in exchange for his soul.
The Devil completed the manuscript, and the monk added the Devil's picture as a tribute. In tests to recreate the work, it is estimated that reproducing the calligraphy alone (without the illustrations or embellishments) would have taken twenty years of non-stop writing.
The original’s dimensions are 36in tall, 20in wide, and 9in thick. The weight is a staggering 165 pounds! Our reproduction is still very large, but a smaller version of the original. A reproduction of the authentic dimensions is also available upon request.
