Christian Literature in Translation
Biblical literature is represented by translations of the Old and New Testaments. Psalms that occupy the main place in every service of the Ethiopian Church, was the most frequently copied book of the Old Testament.
Special importance was given to correct, clear and fluent reading of Psalms. It took months of hard work to acquire this ability. That is why, many students knew the whole Psalter by heart. It was essential for those who wanted to become a priest, as the psalms are the basis of Christian Liturgy and Hymnology. In addition, the psalms were supposed to be read over the deceased, were widely used to tell fortunes and in magical practice. Thanks to this, the Psalter gained the extraordinary popularity in medieval society. Due to demand for the Psalms, its copies have survived in great numbers.
Besides the Psalter, noteworthy among the books of the Old Testament is the Song of Solomon.
The most widely circulated books of the New Testament were the Four Gospels that were first translated into Ge'ez from Greek in the 5th-6th centuries. The Ethiopic text, apparently, was not unified and represents a number of alternative versions in different manuscripts.
The Gospels, usually, start with an introduction and Eusebian Canon Tables which show where each Gospel agreed with or differed from the others. Among books, we can see both display presentation copies intended for royal persons, and small, thin books for everyday use. The most popular was the Gospel of John. It is often written as a separate book which was worn by priests in a special bag.
Gospel was often adorned with miniatures, most of them are portraits of evangelists as well as a miniature head ornament in the upper part of the sheet at the beginning of the text.
An example of a manuscript executed carefully with a long elaborate work of Ethiopian scribes is a presantation copy of the Four Gospels, commisioned by King of Ethiopia Menelik II in 1895 (1887 by the Ethiopian calendar) and given as a gift to Nicholas II by the Ethiopian embassy sent to the Russian Empire. The manuscript was lavishly decorated. Several sheets have the print of Menelik II's seal.
The thick book made out of fine white parchment, is enclosed in a double case in the form of a bag with a belt decorated with embossing, the outer part of the bag is decorated with leather tassels, each of which was knotted. The bag, in turn, is enclosed in a sack made of silk in colours of the rainbow outside and of cotton with floral motifs inside. The sack is attached to the manuscript's bag by a leather belt. This manuscript is one of the evidences of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Russian Empire and Ethiopia, officially beginning in 1898.
Modern map of the Horn of Africa.
Historical map of Ethiopia from Joan Blaeu's atlas. Æthiopia superior vel interior, vulgo Abissinorum sive Prebiter Ioannis Imperium // Africa, quæ est Geographiæ Blavianæ pars tertia, liber unus. Amstelædami: Labor et Sumptibus Ioannis Blaeu, 1662. Между с. 85 and 86.
Ill. 3. Dorn 612. Fol. 25.
Four Gospels. 1426.
A sample of the Ethiopian writing.
Ill. 4. Dorn 612.
Fols. 24v-25. Four Gospels. 1426. The manuscript belonged to the library of the Abyssinian monastery in Jerusalem. In 1820, it was transferred to Georgy Avalov through Metropolitan of Petra Michael from Jerusalem Patriarch's library (as an inscription on Fol. 163v in the Georgian language evidenced)
Traditional ornaments on fields and between columns of text resemble Coptic illuminated crosses borrowed from the Greco-Byzantine tradition.
Ill. 5. Dorn 612. Fols. 124v-125. Four Gospels. 1426. Miniature depicts Apostle John.
Ill. 6. Dorn 609. Fols. 128v-129.
Psalms with supplements (antiphons and the book of prayer). 15th cent. From the collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ill. 7. Dorn 609. Fols. 197v-198.
Psalter with supplements (antiphons and the book of prayer). 15th cent.
In the last pages, after the main text, there are written various prayers and two religious qune verses in sloppy handwriting.
Ill. 8. Eaf. n. s. 3. Fols. 2v-3.
Psalter with miniature head pieces. 18th-19th cents.
From the collection of C. Tischendorf.
Ill. 9. Eaf. n. s. 19.
Psalter. 18th cent.
Purchased from B.P. Lukyanov.
Binding of wooden boards, enclosed in a cover of the cotton fabric. A double leather case-bag was used for storage. A strip of cloth was sewn to the lower end of the spine to protect the book edge.
Ill. 10. Eaf. n. s. 19. Fol. 5v-6.
Psalter. 18th cent.
11th Psalm and the beginning of the 12th Psalm.
Miniature head piece is made at a later time.
Ill. 11. Eaf. n. s. 13 Fol. 21v-22.
Psalter. 18th-19th cents.
From the collection of Chief of Jerusalem Mission Bishop Porfiry Uspensky.
Psalms 31 and 32. A number of a psalm, the second line of each psalm and the word "Lord" is written in red ink.
Ill. 12. Eaf. n. s. 16.
Fol. 1. Psalter. 18th cent. Contains Psalms 1-103.
Part of the collection of Chief of Jerusalem Mission Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin) in 1899
Initial parchment sheets were replaced by paper.
The first page is decorated with decals.
Ill. 13. Eaf. n. s. 16. Fol. 3v-4.
Psalter. 18th cent. Contains Psalms 1-103.
On the left side of a double-page spread is a new sheet of paper, on the right is the original parchment.
Ill. 14. Eaf. n. s. 1. Fol. 41v-42.
Psalter with supplements («Praise and Tenderness» to the Mother of God, the Exaltation to Saint George the Great Martyr). 18th cent.
From the collection of C. Tischendorf.
Psalms 41-43. Miniature ornamental head piece containing anthropomorphic elements.
Ill. 15. Эф. н. с. 1. Fol. 89v-90.
Psalter with supplements («Praise and Tenderness» to the Mother of God, the Exaltation to Saint George the Great Martyr). 18th cent.
End of the Psalms and the beginning of the «Songs of the Prophets». Between the lines - the traditional system of musical signs (for the performance of hymns during the service).
Ill. 16. SPbDA B III/9. Fol. 1v-2.
Psalter. 18th-19th cents.
From the collection accumulated by Bishop of Staritsa Alexandr (Golovin) in Abyssinia
where he was in the Red Cross group.
On the left side is a miniature of St. George on horseback, killing the dragon.
On the right side is an image of the Virgin Mary with Child, traditional for the Ethiopian iconography.
The book was shown at "Abyssinian Sanitary and Ethnographic Exhibition" of the Red Cross in St. Petersburg in 1897
Ill. 17. Dorn 610. Fol. 36v-37.
Miscellany. Contains the Song of Solomon, Psalm 118, Praise to Virgin (not completely) and so on. 15th cent. From the collection of P. Dubrovsky.
The beginning of the «Praise to Virgin» (for Sunday) with several religious additions (prayers) in the margin.
Ill. 18. Eaf. n. s. 22.
Four Gospels. 1895. Presentation copy. Commisioned by Emperor of Ethiopia Menelik II to
give as a gift to Nicholas II by the Ethiopian embassy.
The manuscript is enclosed in a sack made of silk in colours of the rainbow outside.
Ill. 19. Eaf. n. s. 22. Bag-Case.
Four Gospels. 1895. The manuscript is enclosed in a traditional double bag-case of red leather with embossing,
used to wear the book over the shoulder or to hung on the wall inside the house or in the church library.
(thr Ethiopias normally keep books in this way).
Ill. 20. Eaf. n. s. 22. Fol. 4v-5.
Four Gospels. 1895. The manuscript is made out of fine white parchment and decorated with multicoloured head pieces,
in the best traditions of Ethiopian book art.
Ill. 21. Eaf. n. s. 22.
Four Gospels. 1895. An impression of the seal Emperor of Ethiopia Menelik II.
Ill. 22. Eaf. n. s. 22
Four Gospels. 1895. Double-page.
Ill. 23. SPbDA B III/13. Fol. 3v-4.
Gospel of John. 19th cent. From the collection accumulated by Bishop of Staritsa Alexandr (Golovin) in Abyssinia
where he was in the Red Cross group. An unpainted miniature before the beginning of the text depicts the Apostle John writing the Holy Gospel.
Ill. 24 SPbDA B II/39. Fol. 8v-9.
Gospel of John, divided into days of the week with supplements (Liturgy of the Virgin, Wonders of the Virgin and so on.). 19th cent., Harar. The manuscript was given to Archimandrite Efrem as a gift in 1895, the first Russian priest in Abyssinia, and was donated by him to the library of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy in 1905. An ornamental head-piece decorates the first lines of the gospel. In the fields, days of the week are written in red, in which the relevant passages of the text are supposed to be read.
Ill. 25 SPbDA B II/39. Сумка.
Gospel of John, divided into days of the week with supplements (Liturgy of the Virgin, Wonders of the Virgin and so on.). 19th cent., Harar. The Gospel is kept in a traditional double case-bag with a belt. The binding is made of embossed red leather.
Ill. 26 Dorn 613 Fol. 1.
Gospel of Johnа. 15th cent. From the collection of P. Dubrovsky. Before the beginning of the text, there is a multicoloured head piece. A coloured picture of Apostle John (traditionally placed in front of the respective Gospel) is cut off.
Ill. 27 SPbDA B III/16. Fol. 4v-5.
Four Gospels. 18th cent. From the collection accumulated by Bishop of Staritsa Alexandr (Golovin) in Abyssinia
where he was in the Red Cross group. On the right sheet is a miniature showing John the Baptist with the lamb. On the left folio is the beginning of the «Prayer of Peter, Supreme Apostle of Him…». It was exhibited at the "Abyssinian sanitary and ethnographic exhibition" of the Red Cross in St. Petersburg in 1897«Молитва Петра, верховного Apostleов Его…».
Ill. 28 SPbDA B III/16.
Fol. 2v-3
Four Gospels. 18th cent. The first four pages carry beautiful miniatures in full sheet. The miniatures are not fully painted. On the left side is a miniature depicting the Archangel with a sword. On the right is the Virgin Mary with Child.
Ill. 29 SPbDA B III/6. Binding.
Hymns to St. Takla Haimanot and Savior. 18th cent. From the collection accumulated by Bishop of Staritsa Alexandr (Golovin) in Abyssinia
where he was in the Red Cross group.
Traditional Abyssinian binding is made of embossed brown leather.
Ill. 30 SPbDA – B III/12.
Fol. 21v-22. The music liturgical book contains verses from the Psalms. 18th-19th cents.
From the collection accumulated by Bishop of Staritsa Alexandr (Golovin) in Abyssinia
where he was in the Red Cross group. A multicoloured head piece is at the bottom of the page (text delimiter). Between the lines is the traditional system of notation (for the performance of hymns during the service).
Ill. 31 Eaf. n. s. 25. Fol. 86v-87.
Miracles of the Holy Trinity. 19th cent. The manuscript was acquired by the Library in 2006. It contains multicoloured miniature head pieces.
Ill. 32 Eaf. n. s. 25. Fol. 105v-106.
Miracles of the Holy Trinity. 19th cent. The manuscript contains multicoloured miniature head pieces.
Ill. SPbDA, B III/19.
Parchment scroll (the most common type of Ethiopian protective amulets). 19th cent.
Ill. 34 СПбДА, Б III/19.
Parchment scroll. 19th cent.
At the top of the scroll there is an Ethiopian trditional multicoloured cross. During the Muslim invasions of the 14th and 15th centuries, Ethiopians began to hide their affiliation with Christianity. Consequently, crosses were modified beyond recognition.
Ill. 35 Eaf. n. s. 29.
Protective amulets in the form of small pleats (one of the varieties of amulets). Late 19th – early 20 cents.
It contains magic prayers and miniature head pieces.
Ill. 36 Eaf. n. s. 28.
Parchment scroll (the most common form of protective amulets in Ethiopia). Late 19th – early 20th cents.
Contains prayers and the legend of St. Sisinios' struggle against the witch Werzelya.
The scroll includes three miniatures. The second is "Grid to Catch the Devil." According to traditional beliefs, after looking at this picture, the demon possessing the person, will enter the "grid" and will not be able to get out of it.
Ill. 37 Eaf. n. s. 28.
Magic scroll. Late 19th – early 20th cents.
Contains prayers and the legend of St. Sisinios' struggle against the witch Werzelya.
The final miniature shows an angel with a sword, killing the demon.
Ill. 38 Eaf. n. s. 11. Fol. 39v-40.
Ethio-Arabic Glossary. 1830
This grammatical and lexical work was made for the personal use of Peter, Patriarch of Alexandria (Peter VII; 1809-1852).
The Gospels, usually, start with an introduction and Eusebian Canon Tables which show where each Gospel agreed with or differed from the others. Among books, we can see both display presentation copies intended for royal persons, and small, thin books for everyday use. The most popular was the Gospel of John. It is often written as a separate book which was worn by priests in a special bag.
An example of a manuscript executed carefully with a long elaborate work of Ethiopian scribes is a presantation copy of the Four Gospels, commisioned by King of Ethiopia Menelik II in 1895 (1887 by the Ethiopian calendar) and given as a gift to Nicholas II by the Ethiopian embassy sent to the Russian Empire. The manuscript was lavishly decorated. Several sheets have the print of Menelik II's seal.