What: A 17th century manuscript of the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of Paul
Where: The British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB
Provenance: Listed as part of the “Magdala collection” in William Wright’s Catalogue of the Ethiopic manuscripts in the British Museum acquired since the year 1847
Does not appear in the British Library’s online catalogue or list of digitised manuscripts
What: A 17th century manuscript of the Epistles, Revelation and Acts of the Apostles
Where: The British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB
Provenance: Listed as part of the “Magdala collection” in William Wright’s Catalogue of the Ethiopic manuscripts in the British Museum acquired since the year 1847
“A note, in the handwriting of the scribe, f. 199 b, once contained the name of the church to which this Ms. belonged.”
Does not appear in the British Library’s online catalogue or list of digitised manuscripts
What: A 18th century manuscript of Revelation, the Epistles and Acts of the Apostles
Where: The British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB
Provenance: Listed as part of the “Magdala collection” in William Wright’s Catalogue of the Ethiopic manuscripts in the British Museum acquired since the year 1847
Does not appear in the British Library’s online catalogue or list of digitised manuscripts
What: An Ethiopian manuscript of Genesis, described in one record as c. 1500, with illustrations including “quails in the land of milk and honey”. According to that record, it was found in a chest “dating from the Wars of King Theodore” and was “said to be looted”. But there are now doubts about that the dating and the account of its discovery.
Where: Boston College, Law Library, The Daniel R. Coquillette Rare Book Room, 885 Centre Street, Newton, Massachusetts 02459
A guide to the exhibit “Recent Additions to the Collection – Spring 2007”: describes:
“ETHIOPIAN MANUSCRIPT: OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF GENESIS
This copy was found in a British officer’s chest dating from the Wars of King Theodore in the Victorian era. It was said to be looted from the famous library at Gondar after it was captured by British troops.
Gift of Daniel R. Coquillette.”
It is also mentioned in this brochure for the Daniel R. Coquillette Rare Book Room.
But after further examinations, library staff raised doubts about that account and estimated that the manuscript was from the late 19th century. The current library catalogue entry mentions that dats and has no mention of Maqdala.
Library ref: RBR 165.86
What: An Ethiopian manuscript taken from Magdala
Where: The University of Bonn, University and State Library, Adenauerallee 39-41, 53113 Bonn
This manuscript is listed in Veronika Six’s huge survey of “Oriental” works in German collections: Verzeichnis der orientalischen Handschriften in Deutschland (VOHD) XX, 6, pp. 199-202:
“Three manuscripts, one of which was taken from Magdala by Gerhard Rohlfs in 1868.” A fourth Ethiopian manuscript in the university library disappeared during World War Two.
Tracked down by the even more voluminous Menestrel website.
What: A “magnificent” 17th century Ethiopian manuscript of David with seven paintings, including the Psalms, 15 songs of the prophets and the Song of Songs
Where: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 8, Potsdamer Straße 33, Westhafenstraße 1, Berlin
Digital version – http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0001C5A000000000
One of two manuscripts that Graf von Seckendorf bought after the Battle of Magdala and presented to King Wilhelm, according to A. Dimmmann’s 1878 book Verzeichnis der abessinischen Handschriften, Berlin, Königliche Akademie der Wissenschaften – G. Vogt (Die Handschriften-Verzeichnisse der königlichen Bibliothek zu Berlin, Band 3).
“… und sodann im Jahr 1869 die Prachthandschrift 19 und die werthvolle Nr. 42 von Sr. Majestät dem König Wilhelm, an welchen sie Graf von Seckendorf, Lieutenant im ersten Garderesiment zu Fufs, verehrt hatte: der letztere hatte sie in Abessinien nach dem Sturm auf Magdala angekauft”
As it says the purchase happened after the storming of Maqdala, it is likely referring to the auction of plunder that took place after the battle.
Details:
Listed as No. 19 in von Seckendorf’s catalogue. The entry in the catalogue describes the manuscript as Ms. or. fol. 596