Accession number
MS M.1139
Object title
Ethiopian prayer scroll (MS M.1139).
Display Date
late 19th or early 20th century.
Created
Ethiopia, late 19th or early 20th century.
Credit line
Bequest of Leonard Hansen in honor of William M. Voelkle, 2004.
Description
1 scroll (3 sections sewn together, 1 col., 161 lines), unbound : vellum, ill. ; 1695 x 95/105 mm (635 x 95/105 mm, 755 x 105 mm, 305 x 105 mm)
Provenance
Copied for Gabra [second name erased, replaced with] Gabra Sanbat, Gabra Śellasē, Hāyla Śellasē, Walatta Yoh*annes; Leonard J. Hansen (d. 20 September 2003); bequest of Leonard Hansen in honor of William M. Voelkle, 2004.
Notes
Ms. containing magical religious prayers; written in red and black, and illuminated in Ethiopia, late 19th or early 20th century.
Decoration: 4 miniatures. 1) (at the beginning, 160 x 95/105 mm.) Eight-pointed cross set out as a 3 x 3 chessboard pattern, the face of an angel, or a devil, in the centre, an eye in each angle and St. Andrew's cross in each extremity. 2) (after line 49, end of 1st section, 150 x 105 mm.) Same motive as miniature 1. 3) (after line 123, end of 2nd section, 220 x 105 mm.) Guardian angel with drawn sword. 4) (at the end, 24 x 105 mm.) Geometric motives, St. Andrew's cross.
Texts: 1) (lines 1-16) Prayer against the evil spirit Lēgēwon. 2) (lines 16-31) Prayer against the eye of the Bāryā, Lēgēwon and Ğamin. 3) (lines 31-44) Prayer to drive away demons. 4) (lines 44-59) Prayer of justification. 5) (lines 59-98) Prayer to subdue the enemy. 6) (lines 98-130) Prayer against 'āyna nadarā wa-'āyna bāryā, evil eye. 7) (lines 131-137) Prayer against rheumatism. 8) (lines 138-161) Prayer against charm.
Decoration: 4 miniatures. 1) (at the beginning, 160 x 95/105 mm.) Eight-pointed cross set out as a 3 x 3 chessboard pattern, the face of an angel, or a devil, in the centre, an eye in each angle and St. Andrew's cross in each extremity. 2) (after line 49, end of 1st section, 150 x 105 mm.) Same motive as miniature 1. 3) (after line 123, end of 2nd section, 220 x 105 mm.) Guardian angel with drawn sword. 4) (at the end, 24 x 105 mm.) Geometric motives, St. Andrew's cross.
Texts: 1) (lines 1-16) Prayer against the evil spirit Lēgēwon. 2) (lines 16-31) Prayer against the eye of the Bāryā, Lēgēwon and Ğamin. 3) (lines 31-44) Prayer to drive away demons. 4) (lines 44-59) Prayer of justification. 5) (lines 59-98) Prayer to subdue the enemy. 6) (lines 98-130) Prayer against 'āyna nadarā wa-'āyna bāryā, evil eye. 7) (lines 131-137) Prayer against rheumatism. 8) (lines 138-161) Prayer against charm.
Script
Ethiopic
Language
Ge'ez
Resources
Century
Catalog link
Classification
Department