Tuesday, April 26, 2005

MAQDALA MANUSCRIPTS TO STAY IN EDINBURGH. The Art Newspaper reports that the University of Edinburgh has declined to return five Ethiopic manuscripts to Ethiopia:
Meanwhile, the University of Edinburgh has rejected a request for the return of five manuscripts which were seized at the battle of Maqdala. The claim was made by Afromet, based at the University of Addis Ababa. However, the Court of the University of Edinburgh decided that Afromet did not represent the original owner, Emperor Tewodros (Theodorus). Edinburgh agreed to continue the dialogue and provide Addis Ababa with microfilm and digital images of the manuscripts. Afromet has condemned the Edinburgh refusal, quoting an Ethiopian embassy in London spokesman as expressing the hope that the manuscripts will return.

(Via Cronaca.) I noted this story here in October of last year. At that time the Art Newspaper mentioned eleven Ethiopic manuscripts held by Edinburgh University, four of them definitely from Maqdala. No word so far on the other seven.

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