The codex was later pledged to the Cistercians Sedlec monastery and then bought by the Benedictine monastery in Břevnov. Records in the manuscript end in the year 1229. But scientists are starting to believe and research the theory that it took over 20 years to complete" (Wikipedia article on Codex Gigas, accessed 04-07-2009). This may have led to the belief that the whole book was written in a very short time. The codex has a unified look as the nature of the writing is unchanged throughout, showing no signs of age, disease or mood on the part of the scribe. Capital letters are elaborately illuminated, frequently across the entire page. "The manuscript includes illuminations in red, blue, yellow, green and gold. Legend has it the codex was created by a monk who sold his soul to the devil. Also included are Isidore of Seville's encyclopedia Etymologiae, Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews, Cosmas of Prague's Chronicle of Bohemia, various tractates (from history, etymology and physiology), a calendar with necrologium, a list of brothers in Podlažice monastery, magic formulae and other local records. "The Codex includes the entire Latin Vulgate version of the Bible, except for the books of Acts and Revelation, which are from a pre-Vulgate version. The codex weighs nearly 75 kg (165 lbs.) and the vellum is composed of calf skin (or donkey according to some sources) from 160 animals. It is unknown who removed the pages or for what purpose but it seems likely that they contained the monastic rules of the Benedictin es. It initially contained 320 vellum sheets, though eight of these were subsequently removed. At 92 cm (36.2in.) tall, 50 cm (19.7in.) wide and 22 cm (8.6in.) thick it is the largest known medieval manuscript. It is also known as the Devil's Bible due to its full-page illumination depicting the devil, and the legend surrounding its creation. The largest extant medieval manuscript, the Codex Gigas, or Giant Codex, was created in the early 13th century in the Benedictine monastery of Podlažice in Bohemia (now Czech Republic).
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