Thread by @bodleianlibs

The ivory panel set in the binding of the Latin Gospel Lectionary MS. Douce 176 is known as the Douce Ivory. It dates back to the 9th century court of Charlemagne, and was made for the nunnery of Chelles where Charlemagne's sister Gisela was abbess. Let's look at some details...

The first of the scenes depicted around the border, in the top left corner, is a carving of Isaiah. He holds a scroll that bears prophecy of Christ, some 700 years before his birth.

Next comes the Annunciation, depicting the Archangel Gabriel as he brings word to Mary that she is to be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The entire ivory plaque is just over 12 centimetres wide; the carved scenes are both small and detailed.

Our third scene, in the top right corner, is likely to be the most immediately recognisable, as it depicts the nativity. This story continues down the right hand side of the panel...

The Adoration of the Magi contrasts with Herod's massacre of the innocents.

Later scenes depict moments from Christ's adult life. This one is the healing the paralytic at Capernaum.

So intricate is the carving that the book carried by Christ in the central image bears writing: IhS XPS [Jesus Christus] and SVP[er] ASP[idem], or Super Aspidem. This is the beginning of Psalm 91:13. 'Super aspidem et basiliscum ambulabis, et conculcabis leonem et draconem'.

The King James Bible translates this to 'Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.' As you can see, this is exactly how Christ is depicted in the same carving.

If you would like to scroll around at your leisure and zoom even more closely into the details, we have digitized the Douce Ivory for your perusal. digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/inquire/p/87e8…

For @LeoJCarey and anybody else who would like a peek inside MS. Douce 176, here are two older, far less hi-tech or glossy images of pages from the Lectionary.