Ethiopian Ge'ez Healing Scroll.
Rare Ethiopian Ge'ez Healing Scroll
Ethiopia:, c. 19th century.
$2,000.00
In Stock
Item Number: RRB-148657
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Rare original parchment healing scroll written in Ge’ez, the liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Portable manuscript on parchment in red and black ink, with a talismanic design at the top. Typically kept rolled and stored until used, this example is unrolled, mounted on thin wooden boards, and presented under glass in a black metal frame. In near fine condition. The scroll measures 21 inches by 2.25 inches, and the entire piece measures 24.25 inches by 6.75 inches.
Ethiopian healing scrolls were traditionally created as part of a religious and spiritual practice intended to treat illness. Typically commissioned by the illiterate, these scrolls were produced by members of the clergy and were believed to offer protection and promote healing through sacred texts and symbolic illustrations. They often featured Christian prayers written in black ink, with names or specific words highlighted in red, alongside vivid talismanic imagery. This particular scroll appears to include common motifs such as the eight-pointed star, which was believed to trap evil spirits, and a celestial being portrayed as a face encircled by eight wings. These scrolls were frequently crafted to match or exceed the height of the person for whom they were made, using multiple parchment sections joined together. It is likely that the present example was once part of a larger, continuous scroll.
Ethiopian Ge'ez Healing Scroll.
$2,000.00
In Stock