AM 227 fol. is a fourteenth century Icelandic illuminated manuscript. [2] It contains a version of Stjórn, an Old Norse biblical compilation, and is one of three independent witnesses to this work. [3] It is lavishly illustrated and is one of the most impressive manuscripts collected by Árni Magnússon. [4]
The codex now measures 35 cm × 27 cm (14 in × 11 in) but was originally larger, having been trimmed, probably during the late seventeenth century when it was bound. [5] In its current form, the manuscript has 128 leaves, but may originally have comprised 150. [4] Five leaves of the manuscript were obtained by Árni Magnússon after he collected the codex itself. [5] Árni Magnússon received the codex from Bishop Jón Víldalín in 1699; it had previously belonged to Skálholt Cathedral. [6] AM 227 fol. was at Skálholt in 1588 and is likely to be the 'Bible in Icelandic' mentioned in an inventory of 1548. [7]
The Stjórn exists in three parts. Only AM 226 fol. contains all three; it originally contained just parts I and III, but part II was added in the fifteenth century. AM 227 fol. contains Stjórn I and III. However, the last leaf of gathering 10 and the first of gathering 11 were left blank. This gap may have been left for Stjórn II. [8]
The manuscript was written by two scribes, known as A and B. These scribes also produced another Stjórn text, AM 229 fol. [4] They also appear together in AM 657 a-b (which includes Klári saga). [4] Hand B is also represented in the Stjórn fragment NRA 60A and copied part of Rómverja saga in AM 595 a-b 4to. [4] [9] Hand A is best known from Codex Wormianus (AM 242 fol.) but also worked on AM 127 4to ( Jónsbók), GKS 3269 a 4to (Jónsbók), AM 162 a fol β ( Egils saga), AM 240 fol IV ( Maríu saga), AM 667 4to IX ( Jóns saga baptista), NRA 62 ( Karlamagnús saga) and AM 554 40 fols. 20r-21r ( Völuspá in Hauksbók). [10]
The manuscript was illuminated by the main illustrator from Þingeyrar, who was also responsible for the earliest part of Teiknibók. [11] The iconographic imagery of the Þingeyrar manuscripts Teiknibók, AM 227 fol. and AM 249 e fol. shows influence from fourteenth century East Anglian manuscript illustration. [12]