MS Ethiopian 12

Prayers of magical character

Ethiopia, 19th century

Vellum; Material: perg; Scroll now composed of one strip. Originally composed of three or possibly more. The scroll would have been designed to be equal in length to the height of the person the scroll was composed for, in order that the entirety of the person was protected against demons and the return of evil spirits (Mercier); roll dimensions: diameter 120 mm, length 715 mm

(1915-12-14): Purchased at auction by the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum at Stevens sale 12,725, 14 December 1915, lot 389. Accessioned on 20 December 1915, accession number 36971.

Ge'ez

Large, mediocre handwriting

(not after 1868): Three consecutive owners are named: .

(not before 1855, not after 1868): Part of the library of Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopian at Maqdala.

(1868-04): Taken from Maqdala during the British Expedition to Abyssinia in April 1868.