2. Leather Model of Wrapper-Style Binding

Model of Codex II of the Nag Hammadi Codices

A model of another and very famous codex with a wrapper-style binding and fore-edge flap: Codex II of the Nag Hammadi codices. Codex II is famous for its contents; among other texts it contains the earliest most complete text of the Gospel of Thomas in existence. Earlier examples of the gospel, written in Greek, are very fragmentary. The cover of Codex II is elaborately decorated in ink and tooled lines, another feature that makes it a very special early codex. The cover and text of Codex II belong to the Coptic Museum in Cairo. Wrapper-style bindings such as 1289 and Codex II are believed to have been made in Egyptian monasteries as early as the fourth century, and fragments of such bindings survive in a number of collections around the world.

Model of Nag Hammadi Codex II (upper cover)

Model of Nag Hammadi Codex II (inside)

Model of Nag Hammadi Codex II (spine edges)