8th-Century Book Container Retrieved From Irish Lake

A priceless 8th-Century book shrine, or container, has been found at the bottom of an Irish lake, and art historians call it an Irish national treasure ranking with the lavishly illustrated medieval Book of Kells.

The shrine was displayed at a weekend news conference by Arts Minister Ted Nealon, who said it is “of considerable importance and will contribute a great deal toward achieving an understanding of the cultural history of early medieval Ireland.”

The shrine, described as extremely fragile, once housed a copy of the Gospels and is lavishly decorated with an embossed cross. “A suitable award has been paid to the finders, who wish to remain anonymous,” Nealon said.