Antique Ethiopian Coptic Christian Manuscript Hand Written Vellum Bible Codex 58

Description

This is a very rare antique Ethiopian Coptic Christian handwritten Bible Manuscript which is a Psalter from 1943. This Codex measures 5.80 inches long by 4.32 inches wide and is 3.10 inches thick. This Coptic Christian manuscript has been researched by Steve Delamarter - please see below for more information. This Ethiopian Bible is in good antique condition but some pages have old water damage which caused some ink bleed. Two wooden covers of which the front cover has been embossed with a design. The pages are made of goat skin called vellum that has an amazing parchment like texture. The writing is in black and red paint or ink (red usually being reserved for the names of God, Saints and the Holy Family) made from plant juices and is in Ethiopic (Ge'ez) a language no longer used today except by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church for religious purposes.
Ge'ez which is the country's earliest language and which has been referred to as the 'Latin of Ethiopia' and is used today only in the liturgy of the Ethiopian Church. Please see 'Ethiopian Magic Scrolls' by Jacques Mercier and 'The coinage of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Italian Somalia' by Dennis Gill for more information.
This Coptic Bible has been researched by Steve Delamarter and the following information has been recorded for this specimen. Images of this Bible have also been donated to the Ethiopic Manuscript Imaging Project so as to be available for scholarly study.
Marwick Codex 58 (EMIP 3675)
Psalter
Description
145 x 110 x 70 mm.  Two simple wooden boards.  Four chain stitches, fixed with bridle attachment to the boards.
Illuminations and Drawings:
1
1.
F. 1r: Crude drawing of church surrounded by trees, drawn in blue ink.
22.  F. 2r: Full-color illumination of Madonna and Child with the angels Gabrie’el and Mika’el standing behind.
33.  F. 159v: Full-color illumination of Madonna and Child with angels Gabrie’el and Mika’el standing behind, painted with the same materials as the other, but probably by a different artist.
4.  F. 2v: crude drawing in pencil
5.  F. 171r. Crude drawing of an angel.
Major Works:
11.  3r-170v: The first three works of an Ethiopian Psalter
a.
Ff. 3r-144v: 151 Psalms of David
b.
Ff. 144v-159r: Fifteen Biblical Canticles
c.
Ff. 160r-170v: Song of Songs, so-called Scholars’ or Hebraist edition.
Varia:
1v: Asmat prayer written in blue ink, by a non-professional hand.
Notes:
1
1.
The name of God is rubricated. Colorful harags are included at the beginning of each 10-psalm cluster.
22.
Harags mark the majority of 10-psalm clusters.
3
3.
No marking of the midpoint.
4.
The fourth Biblical Canticle is titled, “Prayer of Hana, mother of Samuel, prophet.”
5.
Ff. 170v-171r: Note: saying the book was completed in the time of Luke [the Evangelist] in 55xx [year] of creation and in the year 1943 EC.
Text of Note: አንቃቅቶ፡ ላስጀመረን፡ አስጀምሮ፡ ላስጭረሰን፡ ክብር፡ ምስጋና፡ ለእግዚአብሔር፡ ይድባውና፡ ደረሰ፡ ተፈጸመ፡  ተጽሕፈ፡ በዘመነ፡ ሉቅስ፡ በ፶፻ወ፭፻ኮነ፡ ዓ፡ ዓ፡ በ?፲ወ፱፻ወ፵ወ፫ኮ፡ ዓ፡ ም
Translation of Note:
May glory and praises be to God, to the one who awakened us to begin, and the one who has granted to us to begin and finish.  It is finished.  It is completed. In the year of Luke [the Evangelist] in 55xx year of creation and in the year 1943
F. 171v: Notes. Top: in pencil. Bottom, in ink: Note of ownership, “Ala Abrha.”
This antique Ethiopian bible would be an excellent addition to any Ethiopian Christian collection.
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