The Prince and the Plunder

A book on how Britain took one boy and piles of treasures from Ethiopia

Tag: British Library

Including the Book of Spiritual Medicine and The Order of Purification of an Apostate (OR 550)

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What: Manuscript including the Faus Manfasawi or “Spiritual Medicine”, The Order of Celebrating Matrimony, The Order of Unction of the Sick, The Consecration of an Altar, The Order of Purification of an Apostate

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 British Library’s online catalogue or list of digitised manuscripts

A Book of the Funeral Ritual, lined with flowered silk (OR 552)

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What: , including Services for the Dead of various ages and ranks, with lessons. In the original boards, lined with flowered silk and covered with stamped leather.

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 British Library’s online catalogue or list of digitised manuscripts

A Book of the Funeral Ritual, includes Miracles of Mary (OR 554)

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What: An 18th century manuscript of the Mashafa Genzat. Foll. 1 and 2 contain an account of the Miracles of the blessed Virgin Mary.

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 British Library’s online catalogue or list of digitised manuscripts

A book of the Funeral Ritual (OR 555)

Published / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: An 18th century manuscript of the Mashafa Genzat, prayers and benedictions

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 British Library’s online catalogue or list of digitised manuscripts

Funeral Services in Coptic and Arabic (OR 556)

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What: Described as “Funeral Services in Coptic and Arabic”, but no fuller description in William Wright’s catalogue

Where: The British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB

Provenance: Listed as part of the “Magdala collection” in the index of William Wright’s Catalogue of the Ethiopic manuscripts in the British Museum acquired since the year 1847, but there is no fuller description in the body of the catalogue.

Does not appear in British Library’s online catalogue or list of digitised manuscripts

An 18th century strip of parchment with Magdala mentioned on the back (OR 12114 B)

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What: An 18th century Ethiopian strip of parchment, folded like a concertina, with three miniatures, prayers and prescriptions and a note on the back mentioning Magdala

Where: The British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB

Description

An 18th century strip of manuscript containing “magical prayers and prescriptions”, according to the catalogue. A note on the back reads: “Found in Theodore’s Church, at the storming of Magdala”.

Sources

Listed as Or 12114 B in the British Library catalogue

Catalogue of Ethiopian manuscripts in the British Library acquired since the year 1877 / compiled by S. Strelcyn