The León Palimpsest, designated l or 67 (in the Beuron system), is a 7th-century Latin manuscript pandect of the Christian Bible conserved in the cathedral of León, Spain. The text, written on vellum, is in a fragmentary condition. In some parts it represents the Old Latin version, while following Jerome's Vulgate in others. The codex is a palimpsest.
From its location in Léon, this palimpsest is sometimes referred to as the Codex Legionensis; but this name is more commonly applied to the 10th-century Vulgate Bible at the Basilica of San Isidoro, León (Codex Gothicus Legionensis, or 91, 92 and 133 in the Beuron system).[1] Nor should the León palimpsest be confused with another 10th-century pandect in León, of which the second volume is conserved in the cathedral archive of Léon (number 193 in the Beuron system).[1]
The text of the New Testament has survived on 40 leaves of the codex. The leaves have measures 37 by 24 cm. The text is written in 2 columns of 38-55 lines per page.[2] The text is written in a semi-uncial hand, in Visigothic characters. The fragments contain texts of James 4:4 - 1 Peter 3:14; 1 John 1:5 - 3 John 10; Acts 7:27-11:13; 14:21-17:25. It contains also a fragment of the Books of Maccabees.[3] The text of the codex represent a Vulgate with Old Latin elements, especially in the First Epistle of John. The text is close to the Liber Comicus.[3] The codex also contains the text of the Comma Johanneum .[4] As it is a palimpsest, the text could be overwritten. The younger upper text contains a 10th-century writing of Rufinus' translation of Eusebius' Church history.[3] The whole book contains 275 leaves, of which 185 have had their underwiting deciphered.[2]
The order of the books may tentatively be reconstructed:Octateuch, 1–4 Kings, Prophets (without Baruch), Job, Psalms (iuxta Hebraeos?), Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Chronicles (Paralipomenon), 1–2 Ezra, 4 Esdras, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), Esther, Judith, Tobit, 1–2 Maccabees; Gospels, Pauline Epistles, Catholic Epistles, Acts, Apocalypse.
The biblical underwriting has been dated by F. H. A. Scrivener, Samuel Berger, and Bruce M. Metzger to the 7th century.[5]
It was discovered by Rudolf Beer. It was examined and described by Samuel Berger.[6] [7] It was examined by Bonifatius Fischer and Thiele.[3] Fischer edited its text in 1963.[8]
Currently it is housed in the archive of León Cathedral, where it is designated as codex 15.[3] The manuscript is cited in several critical texts of the Greek and Latin New Testament.[5]