For the first time in more than one thousand years, the Book of Deer, possibly Scotland’s oldest surviving manuscript, will return to the north-east of Scotland in 2022, where it will be on display at Aberdeen Art Gallery. The community heritage group The Book of Deer Project, based in Aden Country Park in Aberdeenshire, has secured £128,588 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to bring the 10th century text back to the area where it is believed to have originated and to celebrate its return with a programme of cultural activity and a community archaeological dig during the Year of Scotland’s Stories. The 10th century book will be on loan from Cambridge University Library. It is a rare example of a pocket gospel book, and was produced for private use rather than for church services. It contains the oldest surviving example of written Scots Gaelic in the world within its margins.
