The eighth-century Book of Kells is an ornate, hand-copied illuminated manuscript of the gospels—one of the most important pieces of early Celtic art in the world. These sterling silver pendants are inspired by the highly decorative letters, called initia, that begin each section of text. Each is cast from sterling silver and finished by hand in a family-run Dublin studio.

Not available for shipment outside of the U.S. and Canada.

• Most charms hang approximately 1" from the chain. Specific dimensions for each letter, not including the ring that attaches the charm to the chain, are listed. 18" chain; spring ring clasp.
• V = 39/64"
• W = 45/64"
• X =3/4"
• A, C, D, E, M, N, O, R, S, U, Y, Z = 51/64"
• T = 29/32"
• F, G, H, I, J, K, L, P, Q = 1"
• B = 1 7/64"
• Please note: The Kells artists used both uppercase and lowercase forms for the decorative letters in their manuscript. The following initial necklaces are lowercase letters: A, B, D, E, G, H, N, Q, and T.

Before printing presses made books, journals, and pamphlets accessible to a wide audience, manuscripts were laboriously copied by hand. Those that were adorned with decorative letters, borders, and paintings are known as illuminated manuscripts, and the Irish Book of Kells is one of the most famous. A collection of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, it is generally believed to have been transcribed by monks at the Abbey of Kells around 800 AD.

That the book still exists is extremely fortunate. The Abbey of Kells was attacked repeatedly by Vikings in the Middle Ages and the manuscript could easily have been destroyed. It was stolen in the early 1000s and later found with its jeweled cover torn off. In 1654 the book was sent to Dublin for safekeeping during Oliver Cromwell's campaign against Ireland, and it has been in Dublin at Trinity College ever since. Its ornate decoration and initial capitals make it one of the greatest examples of Insular art—the name for the art of the British Isles during the Middle Ages—and a major source for the intricate knotted designs that we associate with Celtic art.