Geez Prayer (2 results)

4to (174 x 225 mm). 134 ff. Ge'ez manuscript on vellum. Black Ge'ez script with important words and phrases picked out in red. With 18 full-page miniatures, all but one in full hand colour. Contemporary brown morocco elaborately ruled in blind, stamped with the cross in blind. A manuscript prayer book in Ge'ez, the ancient liturgical language of the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia and Eritrea, illustrated with seventeen full-page miniatures. The first half of these particularly feature the doings of the Virgin Mary, the Christ child in her lap or on her back, then progress to the life of Jesus, to the Passion and the Resurrection, along with several angels. The text itself appears to be particularly devoted to prayers to the archangel Michael, whose feast day is on the fifteenth of every month in the Ethiopian calendar, and some of the miniatures perhaps show miracles performed by Mary or Michael in popular exegesis. - The Ge'ez manuscript tradition is one of the oldest in the Christian world. With Christianity introduced to the region in the 4th century, the earliest attested Ge'ez Gospels are dated (with some debate) to the 6th century; it is in Ge'ez that the tradition of writing Christian holy books by hand has persisted the furthest into the modern age, long after it had been abandoned by most of the Christian world. - Covers somewhat worn, and usual slight soiling to vellum; in good condition.

Full Leather. Condition: Fair. Dust Jacket Condition: No Dust Jacket. No date, though circa mid-late 18th century. 144 leaves (288 pages) on velum leaves, bound in leather. Sinew tied. Mostly black lettering, though with some in red. One full page illustration in color of Madonna and Child. There are a few decorative breaks between sections of text. Written in Ge'ez, an ancient South Semitic language originating in Eritrea and the northern region of Ethiopia. Once the official language of Aksum and Ethiopia, it now remains primarily used in the liturgy of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and to a lesser degree by the Beta Israel Jewish Community (Wikipedi, 2017). Bottom cover is lacking, though all contents appear present. The first leaf is heavily rubbed and mostly illegible. Remaining contents show age, a little rubbing, and scattered markings, though are clear and legible. Estimated to be mid to late 18th century based upon examination of other volumes determined or known to be of this period. Volume is now housed in a leather carrying bag likely reminiscent of its original, though likely made in the mid to late 20th century.