Sizes of the original sheets of the Pandect of the 4th / 5th century

The original covers of Sinaiticus have been lost in earlier ages and the remaining portions bound under new covers. The main body of the codex, kept in London (), was rebound in two volumes with titles (Testamentum Vetus , Testamentum Novum ). However, the division into two volumes, a division which is accentuated by the two added titles that are not very representative for the authentic Byzantine books included, does not correspond to the authentic unity of the . The original unity is broken, and a twofold partition is not justified on codicological grounds. The Leipzig part, still kept in the University Library there, was rebound under modern covers too in later times (see Gardthausen).

In the following diagrams we provide the sizes of the original sheets of parchment skins (height × width), which were used height width for , before the sheets were folded and structured into quires (in quaternions , formed by eight folios per quire). 38 cm × 69 cm The provided dimensions are indicative, because the sheets of the original codex were cutt off for rebinding reasons (see Milne/Skeat). (40 cm) (70 cm) Between brackets are also given the (plausible) measurements of the rough hides before they were cut into the required formats. And the sizes of , and codex Ephraemi Syri Rescriptus (see below) have been added for comparison.

Codex Vaticanus has been preserved in a more integral form. Yet, the original covers and a considerable part of beginning (Genesis) height width and the end (Apocalypse) also disappeared in the course of time, to reappear later. This codex has threefold columns, 27 cm × 54 cm twofold in the poetical section. In more recent times modern covers were made and a splended facsimile of the restored codex (30 cm) (55 cm) was produced. Most importantly, the unity of the codex remained intact over the ages, up until the present day.

Codex Alexandrinus was also divided up into several parts and the original covers were lost. height width The codex was restored, rebound in a new quire structure (in ternions) and divided up in four volumes. 32 cm × 56 cm Some parts of the codex (especially from the beginning of the NT; a great deal of Matthew is missing) (35 cm) (60 cm) disappeared over the long ages of its history. The pages have a two column design in all divisions.

Codex Ephraemi Syri rescriptus was re-used (palimpsest) in the 12th century and 38 orations from the ascetical works of height width Ephraim the Syrian in Greek translation, in minuscule script and in two columns, were written on its sheets. 33 cm × 54 cm The underlying script, however was deciphered and appeared to be a bible (maybe originally a complete codex), (35 cm) (55 cm) with the greatest part of the OT Oktateuch, Historical books and Prophets missing, or not re-used by the of Ephraims asketika. Portions of Job and the six Wisdom books were preserved, as were large portions of the NT, written in majuscule characters and in one column. 4th c. 1. Sizes of the parchment sheets used for the Sinaiticus (based on the measurements of the sheets today, but one should reckon with earlier "cuttings" of the folio-pages for rebinding)

38 cm (40 cm)

34.5 cm 34.5 cm

69 cm (70 cm)

Reference S. McKendrick, T. Pattie, The British Library. Summary Catalogue of Greek , London, 1999, pp. 259-260. H. J. M. Milne, T. C. Skeat, and Correctors of the Codex Sinaiticus , including Contributions by Douglas Cockerell, London, 1938. 4th c. 2. Sizes of the parchment sheets used for the Vaticanus (based on the measurements of the sheets today, but one should reckon with earlier "cuttings" of the folio-pages for rebinding)

27 cm (30 cm)

27 cm 27 cm

54 cm (55 cm)

Reference P. Canart, Prolegomena, Bibliorum sacrorum graecorum Codex Vaticanus B, vol. II, , 1999. P. Canart, ‘Notice paléographique et codicologique’, in Le manuscrit B de la Bible (Vaticanus graecus 1209), ed. by P. Andrist, Lausanne, 2009, pp. 19-45. 5th c. 3. Sizes of the parchment sheets used for the Alexandrinus (based on the measurements of the sheets today, but one should reckon with earlier "cuttings" of the folio-pages for rebinding)

32 cm (35 cm)

28 cm 28 cm

56 cm (60 cm)

Reference S. McKendrick, T. Pattie, The British Library. Summary Catalogue of Greek Manuscripts, London, 1999, pp. 223-224. W. Andrew Smith, A study of the in Codex Alexandrinus: codicology, , and scribal hands , Leiden, 2014. 5th c. 4. Sizes of the parchment sheets used for the Epraemi Syri (rescriptus) (based on the measurements of the sheets today, but one should reckon with earlier "cuttings" of the folio-pages for rebinding)

33 cm (35 cm)

27 cm 27 cm

54 cm (55 cm)

Reference H. Omont, Inventaire sommaire des manuscrits grecs de la Bibliothèque nationale et des autres bibliothèques de et des départements , Paris, 1886, I, p. 2. C. von Tischendorf, CodexEphraemi Syri rescriptus sive fragmenta Veteris Testamenti e codice graeco Parisienni celeberrimo , Leipzig, 1845. C. von Tischendorf, Codex Ephraemi Syri rescriptus sive fragmenta Novi Testamenti e cod. Gr. Paris , Leipzig, 1843.