Psalter

Printed in 1906 at the printing house of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.

Printed in two colors (black and red), the text set within a double frame: a thin one and one decorated with a floral ornament. Foliation appears in the upper right corner, catchwords in the lower right corner. The book's ornamentation is complemented by headpieces, initials, tailpieces, and engravings. The cover is of stiff cardboard, bound in brown leather, with stamping. The front cover has an ornamental frame, at whose center is a depiction of the "Crucifixion" scene. The back cover is decorated with a stamped ornamental frame, at whose center is a depiction of the Holy Spirit as a dove in radiant rays, a chalice, a book, a cross, and an anchor. The spine is of black fabric.

It was acquired by the museum from Volodymyr Stepanovych Cherviakov of Kharkiv in 1979.

Note: the Psalter is one of the biblical books of the Old Testament, consisting of 150 psalms (verses) for reading during worship. Originally these were chants accompanied by musical instruments. The name comes from "psalterion," a stringed instrument to whose accompaniment the psalms were performed.

The Psalter was also used as a primer for teaching literacy.