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The Hunterian Psalter

A selection of images from Glasgow University Library MS Hunter 229 (U.3.2)

The Hunterian Psalter is a twelfth century illuminated manuscript, thought to have been produced in England c. 1170. It is regarded as the greatest treasure of William Hunter's (1718-83) magnificent library of books and manuscripts.

This high quality volume of over 200 vellum leaves has not yet been digitised in its entirety, but a selection of images from the manuscript are presented here. This virtual display includes all the full page miniatures and a good sample of the historiated and decorated initials that adorn the pages of the text throughout. It has been mounted on the Special Collections web pages as part of the 2007 Hunterian Museum bicentenary, celebrating the arrival of Hunter's collections at the University in 1807. The manuscript itself is on display as part of the Hunter: Man, Medic and Collector exhibition in the Hunterian Museum until October 2007.

For a more detailed introduction to the Psalter, see the Book of the Month for May 2007.

To view larger versions of the images, click on the thumbnail (then use the 'back' button to return to this page).

Calendar: folios 1-6v

folio 1r: January
folio 1r: detail of 'KL' (feasting) from January
folio 1r: detail of 'Aquarius' from January

folio 1v: February
folio 1v: detail of 'KL' (warming) from February
folio 1v: detail of 'Pisces' from February

folio 2r: March
folio 2r: detail of 'KL' (digging) from March
folio 2r: detail of 'Aries' from March

folio 2v: April
folio 2v: detail of 'KL' (nobles) from April
folio 2v: detail of 'Taurus' from April

folio 3r: May
folio 3r: detail of 'KL' (hawking) from May
folio 3r: detail of 'Gemini' from May

folio 3v: June
folio 3v: detail of 'KL' (cutting clover) from June
folio 3v: detail of 'Cancer' from June

folio 4r: July
folio 4r: detail of 'KL' (mowing) from July
folio 4r: detail of 'Leo' from July

folio 4v: August
folio 4v: detail of 'KL' (reaping) from August
folio 4v: detail of 'Virgo' from August

folio 5r: September
folio 5r: detail of 'KL' (grape picking) from September
folio 5r: detail of 'Libra' from September

folio 5v: October
folio 5v: detail of 'KL' (treading grapes) from October
folio 5v: detail of 'Scorpio' from October

folio 6r: November
folio 6r: detail of 'KL' (gathering acorns) from November
folio 6r: detail of 'Sagittarius' from November

folio 6v: December
folio 6v: detail of 'KL' (hog slaughtering) from December
folio 6v: detail of 'Capricorn' from December
Full Page Miniatures: folios 7v-21v


folio 7v: creation of Adam & eve;
temptation in Eden


folio 7v: detail of Adam and Eve


folio 8r: expulsion from Eden:
Adam delving & Eve spinning


folio 8r: detail of Adam & Eve


folio 9v: sacrifice of Isaac


folio 9v: detail of sacrifice of Isaac


folio 9v: detail of sacrifice of Isaac


folio 11v: temptation of Christ;
raising of Lazarus


folio 11v detail:devil


folio 11v: detail of raising of Lazarus


folio 12r: supper at Emmaus;
appearance of Christ to
the Apostles


folio 13v: doubting Thomas;
Christ saves Peter on the sea
of Tiberias


folio 13v: detail of Apostles on the sea of Tiberias


folio 14r: the Ascension


folio 14r: detail of Apostles

folio 15v: the Pentecost
folio 15v: detail of Apostles
folio 16r: Christ in Glory

folio 17v: Annunciation of the
death of the Virgin Mary; 
she informs the Apostles
folio 17v: detail of Mary
folio 18r: the Dormition of Mary;
Mary's funeral procession

folio 18r: detail of St Peter &
others with Mary on her deathbed
18r:detail of elder's hands
cleaving to the funeral bier
folio 19v: Assumption of Mary

folio 19v: detail of Apostles
folio 19v: detail of Christ
 folio 21v:King David tuning his harp

folio 21v: detail of handbells being struck
folio 21v: detail of vielle
(or bowed lyra) and pipes
folio 21v: detail of bagpipes
and lyra da gamba

folio 21v: detail of psaltery
folio 21v: detail of organistrum
folio 22r: Beatus initial

folio 22r: detail from decorated initial B
folio 22r: detail of angel
folio 22r: detail of angel
Text of the Psalms: folios 22v-183v

folio 27r
folio 27r: detail
folio 30v
folio 30v:detail

folio 31r
folio 31r: detail
folio 32r
folio 32r: detail

folio 40v
folio 40v: detail
folio 42v
folio 42v: detail

folio 43r
folio 43r: detail
folio 44r
folio 44r:detail

folio 46r
folio 46r: detail
folio 48r
folio 48r: detail

folio 54v
folio 54v: detail
folio 61v
folio 61v: detail

folio 65r
folio 65r: detail
folio 70v
folio 70v: detail

folio 71r
folio 71r: detail
folio 75r
folio 75r: detail

folio 75v
folio 75v: detail
folio 76v
folio 76v: detail

folio 82r
folio 82r: detail
folio 82v
folio 82v: detail

folio 83r
folio 83r: detail
folio 84r
folio 84r: detail

folio 85v
folio 85v: detail
folio 86v
folio 86v: detail

folio 87v
folio 87v: detail
folio 88r
folio 88r: detail

folio 92r
folio 92r: detail
folio 94r
folio 94r: detail

folio 95r
folio 95r: detail
folio 99r
folio 99r: detail

folio 119v
folio 119v: detail
folio 120v
folio 120v: detail

folio 121r
folio 121r: detail
folio 123r
folio 123r: detail

folio 124r
folio 124r: detail
folio 125r
folio 125r: detail

folio 125v
folio 125v: detail
folio 126v
folio 126v: detail

folio 127r
folio 127r: detail
folio 128r
folio 128r: detail

folio 142r
folio 142r: detail
folio 145r
folio 145r: detail

folio 146r
folio 146r: detail
folio 147r
folio 147r: detail

folio 151v
folio 151v: detail
folio 154v
folio 154v: detail

folio 157v
folio 157v: detail
folio 158v
folio 158v: detail

folio 162v
folio 162v: detail
folio 163v
folio 163v: detail (upper)
folio 163v: detail (lower)

folio 164r
folio 164r: detail
folio 164v
folio 164v: detail

folio 166v
folio 166v: detail
folio 170v
folio 170v: detail

folio 174v
folio 174v: detail
folio 176r
folio 176r: detail


folio 180r
folio 180r: detail
folio 180v
folio 180v: detail

folio 182v
folio 182v: detail
Canticles, Hymns and Prayers: folios 183r-203r

folio 183r
folio 183r: detail
folio 183v
folio 183v: detail

folio 185v
folio 185v: detail
folio 186v
folio 186v: detail

folio 189r
folio 189r: detail
folio 192v
folio 192v: detail

folio 196v
folio 196v: detail
folio 200v: Litany of the Saints
folio 201v: Litany of the Saints
The Collects: folios 203r-207v

Sorry: there are no pages from this section currently digitised.

Prayers etc added in the Thirteenth Century: folios 208r-210v

folio 208r
folio 210v
folio 210v: detail of marginalia

Julie Gardham: May 2007