This
image is from a photo plate in 1868 from the Codex Vaticanus. This
original ending of Mark's Gosepl is from the early 3rd century. Most
likely, this piece was copied/printed in Egypt, perhaps Alexandria.
In 1448 the original Codex (consisting
of over 500 pages of Greek Text) was taken to the Vatican Library shortly
after its establishment by Pope Nicholas V. The Codex was procured
perhaps by Cardial Bessarion in the 1470's, who during his lifetime labored
for the reunion of the Greek and Latin churches (a reunion still being
worked on today). This piece of Mark XVI. 3-8 was originally catalogued
in the Vatican Library in 1475.
I found this image
in a Greek New Testament from 1881, which was produced in light of all
the then recent archeological finds of the day (such as Tischendorf's find
of Codex Sinaiticus and his subsequent rescuing parchments from a trash
can at the Monastery at Mt. Sinai, as the story goes).
Brooke
Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort, The New Testament in the
Original Greek (NewYork: Harper & Brothers, 1882).
Special
Thanks to Mrs. Florence Chestnut for the use of this Bible, and all her
support in my studies.