Editing Lindisfarne Gospels (section)

===Insular context===
The Lindisfarne Gospels are not an example of "isolated genius... in an otherwise dark age":<ref>Backhouse 1981, 62</ref> there were other Gospel books produced in the same time period and geographic area that have similar qualities to the Lindisfarne Gospels. The Lindisfarne monastery not only produced the Lindisfarne gospels, but also the [[Durham Gospels]] and [[Echternach Gospels]]. These gospel books were credited to "the 'Durnham-Echternach Calligrapher', thought to be the oldest member of the Lindisfarne Scriptorium".<ref>Brown, Michelle P., ''The Lindisfarne Gospels: Society, Spirituality & the Scribe.'' London: The British Library, 2003.</ref> The Echternach gospels might have been made during the creation of the Lindisfarne Gospels and the Durham Gospels came after, but in an old-fashioned style.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Lindisfarne Gospels: Society, Spirituality & the Scribe|last=Brown|first=Michelle|publisher=University of Toronto Press|year=2003|location=London}}</ref> The [[Lichfield Gospels]] ([[Lichfield Cathedral]], Chapter Library) employ a very similar style to the Lindisfarne Gospels, and it is even speculated that the artist was attempting to emulate Eadfrith's work.<ref name="Backhouse 1981, 66"/> Surviving pages from the Lichfield Gospels also have a cross-carpet page and animal and bird interlace, but the designs do not achieve the same perfection, and are seen as looser and heavier than Eadfrith's.<ref name="Backhouse 1981, 66"/>

The design of the Lindisfarne Gospels has also been related to the [[Tara Brooch]] (National Museum of Ireland, Dublin), displaying animal interlace, curvilinear patterns, and borders of bird interlace, but unfortunately the origin of the brooch is unknown.<ref name="Backhouse 1981, 66"/> The Durham Gospels ([[Durham Dean and Chapter Library|Durham Cathedral Library]]) are suspected as having been created slightly earlier than the Lindisfarne Gospels, and while they have the bird interlace, the birds are less natural and real than Eadfrith's birds in the Lindisfarne Gospels.<ref>Backhouse 1981, 67</ref> The [[Book of Durrow]] (Trinity College, Dublin) is also thought of as an earlier insular manuscript, as the style of the manuscript is simpler and less developed than that of the Lindisfarne Gospels.<ref>Backhouse 1981, 75</ref> The [[Book of Kells]] (Trinity College, Dublin, MS A. I.6 (58)) employs decorative patterns that are similar to other insular art pieces of the period, but is thought to have been produced much later than the Lindisfarne Gospels.<ref>Backhouse 1981, 41</ref>