MS Ethiopian 7

19th century prayers of magical character

Ethiopia, 19th century

Vellum, mounted with non-European blue paper.; Watermarks: An element of a watermark “Crescent moon” is visible.; Material: perg; Scroll composed of 3 strips. 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 130 mm, length 2030 mm

(1924-07-29): Purchased at auction by the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum at Stevens, 29 July 1924, lot 198. Accessioned in October 1937, accession number 88613

Careful script

Ge'ez

(not after 1868): The first owner was . The second was .

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

(1868-04): Taken from Maqdala by Lieutenant Charles Searle Cardale during the British Expedition to Abyssinia in April 1868.