You are hereHomeBARJanuary/February 1984Nag Hammadi Codices Shed New Light on Early Christian History Codex (plural codices) is the Latin word for “book.” In English it has come to refer to handmade books, of which the Nag Hammadi Codices are among the oldest surviving examples. Join the BAS Library! Already a library member? Log in here. Institution user? Log in with your IP address.