There was an interesting find in an Irish peat bog earlier this month. A worker discovered a medieval prayer book while excavating peat with a bulldozer. He recognized the importance of the find and covered it with fresh peat, thereby preserving the treasure for archeological.
The prayer book, or Psalter, is believed to be between 1,000 and 1,200 years old. Reports indicate that large portions of the book have survived, making it potentially one of the most valuable finds of its type in Ireland.
As is the case with so many archeological finds, the book's survival is largely a matter of luck. Irish monks often hid treasures in bogs to preserve them from marauding Vikings. If this was the case, the Vikings' loss is posterity's gain.
