Sisters of Sinai" tells an extraordinary tale of nineteenth century exploration; how two Scottish sisters made one of the most important ancient manuscript finds of the age. Hidden in a cupboard beneath the monastic library at St Catherines in the Sinai desert the twins discovered what looked like a palimpsest: one text written over another. It was Agnes who recognized the obscured text for what it was
- one of the earliest copies of the Gospels written in ancient Syriac. Once they had overcome the stubborn reluctance of Cambridge scholars to authenticate the find & had lead an expedition of quarrelsome academics back to Sinai to copy it Agnes & Margaret
- in middle years & neither with any university qualifications
- embarked on a life of demanding scholarship & bold travel. In this enthralling book Janet Soskice takes the reader on an astonishing journey from the Ayreshire of the sisters childhood to the lost treasure trove of the Cairo genizah. We trace the footsteps of the intrepid pair as they voyage to Egypt Sinai & beyond Murrays guide book in hand coping with camels unscrupulous dragomen & unpredictable welcomes. We enter the excitement & mystery of the Gospel origins at a time when Christianity was under attack in Europe. Crucially this is the story of two remarkable women who as widows were undeterred in their spirit of adventure & who overcame insuperable odds to become world class scholars with a place in history."