Monday, July 12, 2004

EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY has some of the Ethiopic manuscripts that were taken away after the battle of Magdala in 1868. Now the government of Ethiopia is asking for them back:
University may return looted texts to Ethiopia (The Glasgow Herald, via Explorator)
RAYMOND DUNCAN
AN African government's plea for the return of looted religious manuscripts held by Edinburgh University is to be determined by a special panel of experts.
A committee is to be set up to decide if the request by Ethiopian ministers meets guidelines approved yesterday at a meeting of the university's court to deal with repatriation of items from its collections.
Helen Hayes, university vice-principal and librarian, said last night it might be necessary to ask for more information from those behind the call to return the texts plundered by British troops about 130 years ago.

[...]

The parchments include two copies of the Book of Psalms, one portion of the gospels, and two texts detailing the acts of St George.

Other manuscripts from the same episode have been kept in Winsor Castle, as noted here earlier. At least the Herald article tells what is in these manuscripts!

On Monday we'll be away in Dunfermline most of the day visiting friends. Additional blogging will come late in the day, if at all.

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