Early 19th Century Ethiopian Christian Manuscript w/ Old Pouch

Hand Painted: Ethiopia

Measures: 4" x 4"

DESCRIPTION:

This artifact is a hand‑crafted Ethiopian Christian manuscript, written in the ancient liturgical language of Ge’ez and richly illuminated in the traditional style of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Its pages, composed of parchment and inscribed in alternating red and black inks, contain sacred texts accompanied by vibrant iconography depicting holy figures with the distinctive almond‑shaped eyes and bold color palette characteristic of Ethiopian devotional art. Surrounding the manuscript are complementary ritual objects—leather cases, wooden tools, and prayer beads—that speak to its monastic origins and long history of use. Likely produced between the 17th and 19th centuries in one of Ethiopia’s highland scriptoria, the piece reflects a continuous manuscript tradition that has preserved religious knowledge and artistic expression for centuries.