Work dossier · summary and historical context
The Mcxeta Bible is a complete Old Georgian manuscript of the Christian Bible, likely copied at the Svetitsxoveli Cathedral in Mcxeta, Georgia, during the 11th–12th centuries. It represents a pre-standardized stage of the Georgian biblical tradition, used in the liturgy of the Georgian Orthodox Church. The text is preserved in a diplomatic transcription by the TITUS project, without critical apparatus. Its language and readings reflect early Georgian translation practices, including direct transliterations from Hebrew and distinctive renderings of Septuagintal terms. The manuscript lacks a colophon, so its dating is based on paleographic and codicological analysis.
The Mcxeta Bible is a key witness to the early Georgian biblical text, preserving readings and translation choices that predate later standardization. It offers insights into Georgian liturgical language, scribal practices, and the reception of the Septuagint and Hebrew traditions in the Caucasus. Its distinctive renderings, such as 'beresit' for Genesis and 'xmel-sa' for firmament, are valuable for textual criticism and the history of biblical translation.
The Mcxeta Bible was produced in the Georgian kingdom of Kartli, at the patriarchal cathedral of Svetitsxoveli in Mcxeta, the ancient capital. Georgia adopted Christianity as a state religion in the 4th century, and biblical translation into Georgian began soon after, likely from Armenian, Syriac, and Greek sources. By the 11th–12th centuries, Georgian monastic and scribal culture flourished, especially under the Bagratid dynasty. This manuscript reflects a local textual tradition before the later standardization imposed by King Vakhtang VI in the 18th century. The community was the Georgian Orthodox Church, which used the Bible in liturgy and instruction. The text belongs to the Old Georgian version, which underwent several recensions. Its transmission is primarily through monastic scriptoria; the Mcxeta Bible is one of the few complete pre-standardized witnesses.
Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded
| Coptic | Rendering | Count | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| no glossary terms recorded | |||