Washington Manuscript II – The Psalms (Codex Washingtonensis)

Large Slavonic sloping uncial writing in medium brown ink, numbers and titles in red; 24 lines to the page; 7 leaves, fragmentary.

For a full description of the manuscript, see Sanders, Henry A.: Old Testament Manuscripts in the Freer Collection, Part II (University of Michigan Humanistic Series, volume VIII).

ā€¦ Read More

Historical period(s)
early 5th century
Medium
Ink on parchment
Dimensions
H x W: 35.5 x 28 cm (14 x 11 in)
Geography
Egypt
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1906.273
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Manuscript
Type

Manuscript

Keywords
Christianity, Egypt, Old Testament
Provenance

To 1906
Ali Arabi, Giza, Egypt, to 1906 [1]

From 1906 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Ali Arabi in Giza, Egypt, on December 19, 1906 [2]

From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

Notes:

[1] See Original Miscellaneous List, Biblical Mss. Section, S.I. 1466, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

[2] See note 1.

[3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Ali Arabi (C.L. Freer source) ca. 1840-1932
Charles Lang Freer 1854-1919

Description

Large Slavonic sloping uncial writing in medium brown ink, numbers and titles in red; 24 lines to the page; 7 leaves, fragmentary.

For a full description of the manuscript, see Sanders, Henry A.: Old Testament Manuscripts in the Freer Collection, Part II (University of Michigan Humanistic Series, volume VIII).

Label

Charles Lang Freer purchased this codex in 1906, along with the manuscript of Deuteronomy and Joshua (F1906.272). The Psalms manuscript is almost wholly lacking in punctuation, but the nomina sacra (sacred names) are regularly abbreviated, as was customary in Jewish and Early Christian manuscripts. At some point the last part, Psalm 142:8 to Psalm 151, was lost and subsequently, perhaps in the eighth century, replaced with part of another manuscript.

Published References
  • George R. Swain. Bound volume of photographs of the Washington Manuscript of the Psalms in the Freer Collection. Ann Arbor. .
  • unknown title. Ann Arbor, November 1918. opp. p. 96.
  • Henry Arthur Sanders. The Freer Psalter. vol. 33, no. 5 Chicago, May 1909. opp. p. 343.
  • Caspar Rene Gregory. Das Freer Logion. Gregory, C.R. Versuche und entwurfe. 1 Leipzig. pl. 3.
  • A Facsimile of the Washington Manuscript of the Psalms. Ann Arbor. .
  • Seymour de Ricci, W. J. Wilson. Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. 3 vols., New York, 1935-1940. cat. 2, vol. 1: p. 465.
  • Frederic G. Kenyon. Recent Development in the Textual Criticism of the Greek Bible. London. pp. 26, 93, 111.
  • Henry Arthur Sanders. New Manuscripts of the Bible from Egypt. 2nd series, vol. 12, no. 1 Boston, January - March, 1908. p. 51, fig. 1.
  • Dr. Michelle Brown. In The Beginning: Bibles Before the Year 1000. Exh. cat. Washington, 2006. cat. 19, pp. 132, 260.
Collection Area(s)
Biblical Manuscripts
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use