19th Century Framed Museum Quality Antique Ethiopian Talismanic Healing Parchment Scroll

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A magic healing talismanic scroll from Ethiopia circa 19th century known as Tälsäm or yä bərana kətab. Presented in a … Read more A magic healing talismanic scroll from Ethiopia circa 19th century known as Tälsäm or yä bərana kətab. Presented in a custom frame, the scroll is rare in its complete and intact form and well-preserved condition. Used as part of elaborate healing process by Amhara or Tigrinya peoples with abundant ritual details to ward off disease, evil spirits or demonic possession, the long scroll was made from sections of parchment (animal skin). Prayer deduced from passages of Ethiopian Orthodox Christian texts were written by Debteras (un-ordained Priests) in black and red pigments in Ge'ez Script. The sections of prayer alternate with iconographic drawings of Christian saints. Ge'ez script is an over 2,000-year-old indigenous Semitic language in nowadays Eritrea and Ethiopia. Once the lingua franca of the Aksumite empire (1st century BC to 8th century AD), it is no longer a live spoken language but the liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The passages were believed to have magical protective power and was often custom tailored to an individual or household. The scroll on offer is longer than a normal person's height, indicating that it was not for a personal use but for an entire household. The drawings on the scroll (top, middle and bottom) feature Christian Saints, Madonna holding baby Jesus and San George on a horseback slaying a dragon. The style is wonderfully and iconically naive and folky.
It is very rare to have a nearly intact and pristine scroll that was meticulously painted and retains its vivid colors.
Similar scrolls were in the permanent collection of Metropolitan Musuem of Art in New York, see Object Number: 95.66 and 2011.377 and 2012.5. See less