$24.95
Author : Stuart Munro-Hay
ISBN Code : 1-59907-008-1
Language : English
Pages number : 202
Format : Paperback; 6"x9"; Illustrations
In Ethiopia: Judaism, Altars and Saints, Dr. Munro-Hay shares three intriguing aspects of Ethiopia’s endlessly fascinating history. The first subject of enquiry is the claim that an ancient and profound Judaic influence underlies Ethiopian Christianity. The second theme concerns the tabot, the altar boards of the churches of Ethiopia. The final section is devoted to exploration of the legends concerning the foreign missionaries who were supposed to have come to the country in the fifth and sixth centuries, the so-called Nine Saints.
The study of these three themes not only offers a glimpse into the riches of Ethiopia’s literary and ecclesiastical tradition, but adds new perspectives to our interpretation of Ethiopia’s enigmatic past.
Part 1: Judaism in Ethiopia
A Chosen People
Church and Temple?
'Jewish' Elements in pre-Zagwe Times?
Israel and Lalibela
The Solomonids
Zion in Africa
The Beta Israel or Falasha
Biblical Information
Part 2: The Ethipioan tabot, its Function and Symbolism
What is Tabot?
Names
Tabotat in Ethiopia
The Tabot: Origins, History, Functions, Characteristics, Symbolism
The tabot as the 'Ark of the Covenant'
Tabotat in Ethiopian Art
Tabotat at Aksum
The Feast of Timqat (Epiphany)
Part 3: Saintly Shadows
The Nine Lives of Ethiopia
The Lives of the Saints
The Monks and the Monasteries
The Syrian Question
Conclusion
Notes