I just discovered on Wikipedia that a Bible Box is known to be a “small container originally meant to store and/or use a Bible.”   Coooool!  It’s actually referring to an antique box, usually wooden, for protecting your Bible, which was usually a very expensive book.

Back in “the day” printed Bibles were expensive and owners looked after them by keeping them in wooden boxes which were often ornate in design.

From Wikipedia –

biblebox woodIn much of Europe this kind of box was produced in many different materials, such as wood, metal or ceramics, in simple or extremely ornate styles. Bible boxes were popular in the 17th century. Many of the more refined examples can be found in museums.

In Colonial America, this container was produced locally in a great variety of styles and finishes, by amateurs and professionals. Just about anybody who could afford nails, a few planks of wood, and a hammer could improvise a Bible box.

About the size of a Bible, this box could be used to transport in safety what was a very costly book in the 13 colonies. Many varieties had a slanted or angled top with a lower lip, meant to hold the Bible for reading, when the box was placed on a table. In a sense it then served as a portable lectern. Over the years the typical Bible box was also used or specifically built to contain writing implements such as a quill, ink pot, blottingpaper and writing paper. The level or slanted surface of the box then served as a desktop, for writing as well as reading.”

Biblebox wood ivory

It seems like a Bible box was intended to both protect the Bible and ensure it could be passed on for decades and in some cases also contain tools to support Bible study.

In a similar way the BibleBox project intends to make sure the Bible can be passed on to many many others (over wifi) and contains other files and media to help someone in their walk with God.

Just thought it was cool to come across!