A REVOLUTIONARY new technique is helping shed fresh light on the history of a 1,000-year-old manuscript.

The York Gospels, which was made in Canterbury, is on display in the undercroft of York Minster and is thought to have first been brought to the city in 1020AD.

Now it is being analysed using a new biomolecular technique to explain how the book was originally put together.

The new approach involves analysing the book’s parchment to identify the type of animal skins used in its original construction.

The information will provide insight into the manuscript’s quality and also help to reveal any sections which were included as later additions.

“The new analysis is an exciting opportunity for us to learn more about the Gospels,” explained archivist Peter Young.

“The work will help to explain how the book was originally constructed, the species and origins of the animals from which the pages are made and therefore the origin of the book and its relationship to contemporary books which are undergoing the same analysis.”

Results so far show the Gospels is of a high quality being made mostly from calf, with small and later sections made from sheep skin.

The work has been carried out by experts at the University of York and the Royal Library in Copenhagen.

Details of the process and their findings so far will be presented by Dr Sarah Fiddyment, of the University of York’s Department of Archaeology, at a talk on June12 as part of the city-wide Festival of Ideas.

For further details about the Festival of Ideas visit yorkfestivalofideas.com and for more information about York Minster visit yorkminster.org.