A Handlist of the Manuscripts in the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, Volume One: The Gǝ'ǝz and Amharic Materials of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tradition

by Demeke Berhane, Melaku Terefe, Steve Delamarter, Jeremy R Brown, Jacopo Gnisci

Overview

The Institute of Ethiopian Studies is home to the largest collection of Ethiopian manuscripts in the world. This volume provides a catalog of one subset of the manuscripts: those in Ge'ez and Amharic, which were mostly produced by members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. There are six introductory essays that provide information about the developments and project, which led to the digitization of the collection in 2010; the history of the IES collection; the cataloging approach; the digitization process; the rationale for undertaking this endeavor; and a short description of some of the illuminated manuscripts in the IES. The catalog provides short handlist entries for 1,530 in the IES that were prepared by qasis Melaku Terefe with assistance from Steve Delamarter and Jeremy Brown. The final passes were carried out by Jacopo Gnisci and Jeremy Brown, with special attention to technical matters of cataloguing, lists, and indexing. Back matter includes lists of IES Manuscripts arranged by shelf mark and a concordance with pieces microfilmed by the EMML Project, as well as lists of dated or datable and undated codices and magic scrolls. These are followed by indexes of works, miniatures, names, and places in the manuscripts and an index of names of owners in the magic scrolls. Forty-two plates showcase in full detail some highlights from the collection.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781666785531
Publisher:	Pickwick Publications
Publication date:	04/15/2025
Series:	Ethiopic Manuscripts, Texts, and Studies , #19
Pages:	410
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.12(d)

About the Author

Demeke Berhane served as director of the Manuscript and Archives department of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies for several decades. He and Delamarter were co-directors of the Endangered Archives Programme grant that performed the digitization project there.



Qäsis Melaku Terefe worked as a priest in Ethiopia for several years and now serves the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Saint Mary Church in Los Angeles.



Steve Delamarter is emeritus faculty at George Fox University, directs the Ethiopic Manuscript Imaging Project (EMIP), and is a member of the Textual History of the Ethiopic Old Testament Project (also known as THEOT).



Jacopo Gnisci is lecturer in the Department of History of Art at University College London and a visiting academic in the Department of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas at the The British Museum. He is also co-principal investigator in the project Demarginalizing Medieval Africa.



Jeremy R. Brown is the Cataloger of Ethiopic Manuscripts at the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library (HMML) and served as the director of digitization for the EAP 286 project that digitized the collection at the IES.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“I enthusiastically endorse A Handlist of the Manuscripts in the Institute of Ethiopian Studies. The authors have meticulously catalogued the diverse manuscripts housed within our esteemed Institute, making it an invaluable resource for scholars, researchers, and enthusiasts passionate about Ethiopian studies. Its comprehensive coverage, meticulous scholarship, and user-friendly format make it essential for any library or research collection dedicated to Ethiopian textual study. I wholeheartedly recommend it to those interested in Ethiopia’s cultural heritage.”

—Mersha Alehegne, associate professor of linguistics and philology, Addis Ababa University



“After over fifteen years in preparation, Delamarter and Gnisci introduce a carefully researched catalogue of 1,530 parchment manuscripts from the Institute of Ethiopian Studies in Addis Ababa University. They date from the fourteenth to twentieth century and provide an unparalleled and virtually untouched view of the economic, social, political, and cultural history of the country. The volume covers 330 pages and is accompanied by 142 excellent color plates.”

—Michael Gervers, professor of history, University of Toronto



“An excellent handlist providing a wealth of information about the collection of manuscripts at the Institute of Ethiopian Studies accompanied by introductory notes containing detailed information about the history of the manuscripts and their digitization as well as some aspects of their illumination. For scholars conducting research on Ethiopia’s manuscript culture or manuscripts in the Institute of Ethiopian Studies specifically, this book can be considered an invaluable resource.”

—Solomon Gebreyes Beyene, research fellow, Hiob Ludolf Centre for Ethiopian and

Eritrean Studies

Editorial Reviews

I enthusiastically endorse A Handlist of the Manuscripts in the Institute of Ethiopian Studies. The authors have meticulously catalogued the diverse manuscripts housed within our esteemed Institute, making it an invaluable resource for scholars, researchers, and enthusiasts passionate about Ethiopian studies. Its comprehensive coverage, meticulous scholarship, and user-friendly format make it essential for any library or research collection dedicated to Ethiopian textual study. I wholeheartedly recommend it to those interested in Ethiopia’s cultural heritage.”

—Mersha Alehegne, associate professor of linguistics and philology, Addis Ababa University



“After over fifteen years in preparation, Delamarter and Gnisci introduce a carefully researched catalogue of 1,530 parchment manuscripts from the Institute of Ethiopian Studies in Addis Ababa University. They date from the fourteenth to twentieth century and provide an unparalleled and virtually untouched view of the economic, social, political, and cultural history of the country. The volume covers 330 pages and is accompanied by 142 excellent color plates.”

—Michael Gervers, professor of history, University of Toronto



“An excellent handlist providing a wealth of information about the collection of manuscripts at the Institute of Ethiopian Studies accompanied by introductory notes containing detailed information about the history of the manuscripts and their digitization as well as some aspects of their illumination. For scholars conducting research on Ethiopia’s manuscript culture or manuscripts in the Institute of Ethiopian Studies specifically, this book can be considered an invaluable resource.”

—Solomon Gebreyes Beyene, research fellow, Hiob Ludolf Centre for Ethiopian and

Eritrean Studies

From the Publisher