Manuscript Cultures: An Ethiopian Case Study

The Institute for Curatorial Practice and Gallery have been working together to organize a keynote address (tomorrow, Nov 11) and faculty seminar (Nov 12) around a rare medieval Ethiopian manuscript owned by a Hampshire alum and trustee that was the subject of one of the ICP digital exhibitions this summer.

Keynote panel – Manuscript Cultures: An Ethiopian Case Study, Taylor Meeting Room, RW Kern Center, 5-6.30pm (followed by a reception) 

This public discussion with leading experts will explore how specific examples of the material and textual culture of medieval Ethiopia opens up questions around power and patronage, religion and politics, influence and iconography, and what the implications of working with these materials are for teaching and learning, museum collections and cultural patrimony.

In addition, the library has connected with this project by purchasing new special collections books that engage with African writing and graphic knowledge systems (such as Ge’Ez, the liturgical language of the Ethiopian church) in which the manuscript is written, adinkra symbols (Ghana), hieroglyphics and Coptic scripts (Egypt and Ethiopia), Ajami and Arabic (in the case of a fabulous new artist’s book acquisition). These will be part of an exhibition in the 1st floor library cases.