DATING GREEK MINUSCULE
MANUSCRIPTS
There is yet a surprising number of Greek New Testament manuscripts which
have not been fully analyzed as to their provenance or date. Many of them
have had their text-types ascertained (though often quite sporadically). Here on this page
I present some samples which can assist with dating the script of a
minuscule manuscript via comparison with
known dated samples.
Demonstrated manuscripts include, New Testament texts, lectionaries, Biblical
commentaries, writings of church fathers and other commonly produced manuscripts of
various scriptoriums (not typikons or menologia).
--- CLICK ON THE THUMBNAILS, ON THE RIGHT, TO VIEW IMAGES ---
--- IMAGES IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER ---
|
THE MANUSCRIPT, Date |
SCRIPT SAMPLE |
|
MS 461 (and uncial 018) --- DATE 835
|
   461 . . . . .018 . . . read PDF |
|
MS 1582 --- DATE 948/949 scribe --- a later colophon states scribe is: Ephraim color and style of headpieces suggest a product of a Constantinopolitan scriptorium, as well as the style of script. Recently analyzed by Dr. Amy Anderson. I recently applied my mensuration method [types of measurements are presented here CLICK] and after the analysis, the results were clear, the same scribe wrote 1582 and 1739. In my estimation, 1582 was written somewhat earlier in the life of the scribe, Ephraim. |
|
| Psalms with Catena ----- DATE 950 |  MS Auct. D.4.1. |
|
MS 424 ---- DATE 944 - 956 [Date is based upon the names of the patriarchs and emperors mentioned in its accessory materials]. Manuscript was made in Constantinople. |
 
|
|
Chrysostom --- DATE 955 scribe --- Nicephorus the Notary provenance --- uncertain, similar to Jerusalem (Sabas) MSS. |
 Princeton,
Univ. Library. cod. Garrett 14 |
|
Gregory of Nazianzus - - - DATE 972 page from "Apolgetica" - TLG # 2022-016. sample from the British Library (which has the entire manuscript available for viewing, Add MS 18231). This MS also contains several other documents by other church fathers. A very educational MS, professionally executed, appears to be of a Constantinopolitan origin. Not all folios have marginal text. On the BL website, viewers can zoom-in to achieve good resolution, my upper sample is not zoomed-in and is thus very low resolution. |
|
| Chrysostom --- DATE 976 |
|
|
MS 619 ---- DATE 984 |
 via
CSNTM.org |
| »562 ------ DATE 991 | 
|
| Homilies of John Chrysostom ---- DATE 995 |  Dionysiou codex 70, |
| MS 910 ---- DATE 1009 |  |
| MS 1734 --- DATE 1015 |  |
| MS 348 --- DATE 1023 |  |
| MS 504 --- DATE 1033 |  |
| MS 623 ---- DATE 1037 |  |
|
MS 81 --- DATE 1044 sample image from the British Library, which institution has only a portion of this MS. |
 |
| MS 1933 --- DATE 1045 |  |
| »1692 ---- DATE 1059 |  Dionysiou 587; Note P. Canart's "epsilon
arrondi" |
| MS 1209 --- DATE 1067 |  |
| Theodoret on the Prophets ---- DATE 1067 |  MS Auct. T.2.2 |
|
MS 1871 --- DATE 1083 color image via the efforts of the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts; Dallas, Texas. |
 |
| MS 1521 --- DATE 1084 |  
|
| Theodore Studites ---- DATE 1086 |  
Sinai Cod. 401
|
|
MS 104 ---- DATE 1087 First image from 35mm film, second from the British Library's site, which has nice sharp color images, but you cannot print or save them. |
 |
|
MS 909 ---- DATE 1107 color image via the efforts of the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts; Dallas, Texas. www.CSNTM.org |
 text: I Cor. 14:27-37 |
| MS 2622 ---- DATE 1109 |  |
|
Commentary on Matthew --- DATE 1109 |
|
| MS 203 --- DATE 1111 |  |
| »868 ---- DATE 1118/1119 |  Sinai Cod. 234 |
| Psalter ---- DATE 1121/1122 |  Sinai
Cod. 44 |
| MS 1195 ---- DATE 1123 |  |
| MS 1230 --- DATE 1124 |  |
| MS 1194 ---- DATE 1127/1157 |  Sinai, Gr. 157 |
| MS 157 --- DATE 1128/1129 |  best image I can get at this time :-(
|
|
MS 927 --- DATE 1133 scribe --- Theoktistes provenance --- probably a scriptorium in Constantinople |
  One of 5 illuminations, this of Luke - folio
69v. MS is now, MS Ludwig II 4; 83.MB.68 of the J. Paul
Getty Museum. |
| MS 1152 --- DATE 1133 |  |
| Gregory of Nazianzus ---- DATE 1136/1155 |  Sinai Cod. 339 |
| Simeon Stylites (Jr.) ---- DATE 1141 |  MS. Rawlinson G. 199 |
| »1033 ----- DATE 1152 |  |
| MS 162 ---- DATE 1153 |  same scribe as MS 1361. Note P. Canart's
"epsilon arrondi". |
| MS 1361 --- DATE 1156 |  
same scribe as MS
162. Note P. Canart's "epsilon arrondi". |
|
MS 439 ---- DATE 1159 sample from the British Library website, which has the entire MS available for viewing. |
 folio
110r, Luke 1 |
| MS 747 --- DATE 1164 |  |
| »854 ----- DATE 1167 |  |
| »855 ---- DATE 1175 |  Sinai, Cod. 221 |
| MS 688 ---DATE 1179 |  |
| »330 ----- DATE 1185 |  |
| MS 1217 --- DATE 1187 |  |
| MS 1238 --- DATE 1244 |  |
| MS 1201 --- DATE 1250 |  |
| MS 390 ---- DATE 1282 |  |
| MS 1213 --- DATE 1286 |  |
| MS 165 ---- DATE 1292 |  |
| MS 645 --- DATE 1304/1305 |  |
| MS 2085 --- DATE 1308 |  |
| Psalter ---- DATE 1313 |  Dionysiou 65 |
| MS 2278 --- DATE 1314/1315 |  |
| MS 1922 --- DATE 1318 |  |
| MS 1506 --- DATE 1320 |  |
| MS 492 --- DATE 1325/1326 |  |
| MS 2060 --- DATE 1330/1331 |  |
| MS 1336 --- DATE 1332 |  a
bit degraded! |
| MS 686 --- DATE 1337 |  |
|
MS 201 --- DATE 1357 sample image from the British Library's website, which site has the entire MS available for viewing. |
 |
| MS 1960 --- DATE 1366 |  |
|
MS 1147 --- DATE 1370 scribe --- Joasaph color image via the efforts of the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts; Dallas, Texas. www.CSNTM.org |
 Note MS 1960 and MS 1147 by same
scribe, Ioasaph (or Joasaph or Joseph) |
|
MS 1929 --- DATE 1387 on paper color image via the efforts of the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts; Dallas, Texas. www.CSNTM.org
|
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| Qui Dei dicit est maxime gravis; omnes ceterae formae congruens libri divini manu scriptus sunt secundara. | What God says is most important; all other features of a Biblical manuscript are secondary. |
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