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BRMS 63

Title

Subject

Prayer Book - Ethiopian

Description

This Ethiopian manuscript on parchment is preserved with its sturdy leather folding case, called a maḫdär, which features a shoulder strap. The carrying case was essential for the daily use of the book, as it not only gave protection to the book, but also made it easily portable for the Ethiopian priest as he traveled between congregations. The text was written in Ge'ez, the Ethiopian ecclesiastical language that generally was written and read only by the Christian clergy.

Source

BRMS 63. [Ethiopian psalter and prayerbook, with maḫdär]. Ethiopia, [ca. 19th century].

Publisher

Bridwell Library Special Collections

Date

ca. 18th–19th century

Rights

Please cite Bridwell Library Special Collections, SMU, as the source of this file. A high-resolution version of this file may be obtained by contacting Special Collections (bridsc@smu.edu).

Relation

Containers

Format

Displayed as .jpg

Language

Type

Prayer Book with Case

Collection

The Shape of Content in Christian Books, Broadsides, and Prints

Citation

“BRMS 63,” Bridwell Library Special Collections Exhibitions, accessed January 13, 2026, https://bridwell.omeka.net/items/show/1688.