• Täˀammərä Maryam. Täˀammərä Giyorgis (Miracles of Mary. Miracles of Saint George)
    ተአምረ፡ ማርያም. ተአምረ፡ ጊዮርጊስ፡

Contributor:
  • Princeton University. Library. Manuscript. Princeton Ethiopic Manuscript no. 57
Publisher:
  • [Ethiopia], [between 1740 and 1760]
Extent:
  • 1 item ; 100 x 157 mm
Format:
Contents:
  • 1. Folio 5r-155r. Miracles of Mary
  • 1.1. Folio 5r-12r. The Story of Hildefonsus of Toledo [Däqseyos]
  • 1.2. Folio 13r-14v. The Story of the Poor Monk Who Had Neither Food Nor Clothes
  • 1.3. Folio 16r-18r. The Story of the Artisan Who Was Devoted to the Virgin Mary
  • 1.4. Folio 19r-21v. The Story of the Jew of Akhmim
  • 1.5. Folio 23r-25v. The Story of Damianus of Philippi [Demyanos of Felp'esyos]
  • 1.6. Folio 26v-29v. The Story of Pope Leon [Bishop Abbas of Romé]
  • 1.7. Folio 30v-34v. The Story of Isaac the Monk
  • 1.8. Folio 36r-39r. The Story of the Man from Defra Whose Daughter Was Transported to Paradise
  • 1.9. Folio 40v-44r. The Story of the Artist Who Fell from His Scaffolding
  • 1.10. Folio 45r-47r. The Story of the Sick Merchant
  • 1.11. Folio 49r-54r. The Story of the Young Man Zacharias [Zäkaryas]
  • 1.12. Folio 55v-58r. The Story of Juliana and Barbara [Yolyana and Bärbara]
  • 1.13. Folio 59v-62v. The Story of the Three Arabs of Rif
  • 1.14. Folio 64r-66v. The Story of the Church that Was Transported to the Shores of the Sea of "Iyariko"
  • 1.15. Folio 66v-71v. The Story of the Blind Priest, Yohannes of Bäkänsi
  • 1.16. Folio 72v-75v. The Story of the Rich Merchant of Qwälasyes
  • 1.17. Folio 77r-81v. The Story of the Daughter of Abreham of Bedreman
  • 1.18. Folio 83r-87r. The Story of the Poor Widow and Her Daughters
  • 1.19. Folio 88v-91r. The Story of the Two Brother Scribes
  • 1.20. Folio 92v-94v. The Story of George the Younger
  • 1.21. Folio 96r-99v. The Story of the Priest Kät'ir of Elkus [sic]
  • 1.22. Folio 101r-106r. The Story of the Dyer Näzib
  • 1.23. Folio 107v-111v. The Story of the Man With a Club Foot
  • 1.24. Folio 113r-115v. The Story of Bishop Mercurius [Märqoréwos]
  • 1.25. Folio 117-120v. The Story of the Woman of Haarlem [Hartälom]
  • 1.26. Folio 121r-129r. The Story of Abbess Sophia of Carmel [Sofya of Qärmélos]
  • 1.27. Folio 129v-132r. The Story of Barok of Finqi
  • 1.28. Folio 133r-134v. The Story of the Deacon Anastasius [Anest'asyos]
  • 1.29. Folio 135v-138r. The Story of the Monk Salusi of the Monastery of Qälmon
  • 1.30. Folio 138r. [bottom, Different hand] Short Hymn or Prayer, mid-1700s
  • 1.31. Folio 139r-142v. The Story of the Cannibal of Qemer
  • 1.32. Folio 144v-146r. The Story of the Widow's Son Who Was a Thief
  • 1.33. Folio 146v-149r. The Story of the Woman Who Gave Birth in a Storm At Sea
  • 1.34. Folio 150r-152r. The Story of the Thirsty Dog
  • 1.35. Folio 153r-155r. The Story of the Five Sorrows Told by the Virgin to Her Son and His Granting of the Covenant of Mercy on Her Behalf
  • 1.36. Folio 155r. [bottom, Different hand] Prayer to the Virgin Mary
  • 2. Folio 156r-162v. Miracles of St. George
Description:
  • Mostly in numbered gatherings of 8 leaves, the manuscript is in excellent condition and shows no damage and only a little natural wear to the edges of some leaves, 1 col. of 15 lines, written in black with the usual rubrics (alternate opening lines of sections, the name of Mary and Saint George as well as those of the owners, major punctuation) in a generally well-formed early räqiq hand [4-5mm], deteriorating somewhat towards the end of the text, datable to the first half or middle of the eighteenth century, many of the miracle texts are marked with small coloured threads sewn on to the edge of the leaves, ruling and pricking visible throughout, there are 49 full page miniatures, 6 half page miniatures; bound between wooden boards covered and with a spine in tooled leather, brocade insert panels on the inside of the covers. Fols. 1v-3r, 4v, 15v, 22v, 35v, 48v, 82v, 95v, 112v, 116v, 143r, 163r, 164-165: blank.
  • Non-ALA-LC romanization used in record.
  • The paintings are high quality examples painted in the Second Gondarene style, which is associated with the patronage of Empress Mentewwab and her son, Iyasu II (r. 1730-55), though it continued in use later into the eighteenth century. The paintings are mostly framed within a double red border and include descriptive text in red or black, either directly on the painting or in the top or bottom margins.
  • Illustration: Fol. 3v: Painting 1: St. George and the dragon.
  • Illustration: Fol. 4r: Painting 2: Virgin and Child with the archangels Michael and Gabriel; below is the prostrate figure of a supplicant, named as Awsabyos.
  • Illustration: Fol. 12r: Painting 3: The Virgin Mary presents a robe and a throne to Däqseyos.
  • Illustration: Fol. 12v: Painting 4: The archangel Michael strikes down the bishop who sat on Däqseyos' throne.
  • Illustration: Fol. 15r: Painting 5: The Virgin Mary gives food and clothes to the monk.
  • Illustration: Fol. 18v: Painting 6: The Virgin blesses the artisan.
  • Illustration: Fol. 22r: Painting 7: The Virgin revives the Jew of Akhmim.
  • Illustration: Fol. 25v: Painting 8: Demyanos writing the Miracles of Mary.
  • Illustration: Fol. 26r: Painting 9: The Virgin shows Demyanos the pillar of gold in heaven.
  • Illustration: Fol. 29v: Painting 10: Abbas cuts off his hand.
  • Illustration: Fol. 30r: Painting 11: The Virgin restores Abbas' hand.
  • Illustration: Fol. 35r: Painting 12: The Virgin appears to Isaac and raises him up.
  • Illustration: Fol. 39v: Painting 13: The Virgin makes the girl follow her.
  • Illustration: Fol. 40r: Painting 14: The girl receives communion.
  • Illustration: Fol. 44v: Painting 15: [left] The artist falls, dragged down by a demon; [right] the Virgin raises him up.
  • Illustration: Fol. 47v: Painting 16: The Virgin brings the sick man to Jerusalem (he is shown being baptized in the Jordan).
  • Illustration: Fol. 48r: Painting 17: A rectangular: building or church representing Jerusalem.
  • Illustration: Fol. 54v: Painting 18: Zäkaryas crowns the Virgin with roses.
  • Illustration: Fol. 55r: Painting 19: Zäkaryas is rescued from the thieves.
  • Illustration: Fol. 58v: Painting 20: The thief's teeth shatter when he tries to eat the bread he has stolen.
  • Illustration: Fol. 59r: Painting 21: The repentant thieves do homage to the Virgin.
  • Illustration: Fol. 63r: Painting 22: The two shipwrecked Arabs look on whilst their companion is swallowed by a whale.
  • Illustration: Fol. 64v: Painting 23: The two surviving Arabs bring their gifts to the church.
  • Illustration: Fol. 67r: Painting 24: The Virgin appears in a dream to the priest of the church.
  • Illustration: Fol. 67v: Painting 25: The church appears by the sea shore.
  • Illustration: Fol. 72r: Painting 26: The Virgin restores Yohannes' sight.
  • Illustration: Fol. 76r: Painting 27: The merchant is struck in the eye by an arrow.
  • Illustration: Fol. 76v: Painting 28: The Virgin restores the merchant's sight through an image of him.
  • Illustration: Fol. 82r: Painting 29: The Virgin restores the girl's sight.
  • Illustration: Fol. 87v: Painting 30: The Virgin appears in a dream to the widow and promises to look after her daughters.
  • Illustration: Fol. 88r: Painting 31: Téwog takes the daughters to be married.
  • Illustration: Fol. 91v: Painting 32: The two brothers writing.
  • Illustration: Fol. 92r: Painting 33: The Virgin rescues the soul of the good brother.
  • Illustration: Fol. 95r: Painting 34: The Virgin rescues George in the form of a dove.
  • Illustration: Fol. 100r: Painting 35: The guardian of the church drives out Kät'ir.
  • Illustration: Fol. 100v: Painting 36: The Virgin instructs the angels to punish the guardian.
  • Illustration: Fol. 106v: Painting 37: St. George strikes down the dishonest merchant who had Näzib falsely accused.
  • Illustration: Fol. 107r: Painting 38: Näzib brings his testimony before the judge.
  • Illustration: Fol. 111v: Painting 39: The man praying in church.
  • Illustration: Fol. 112r: Painting 40: The man shows his healed foot to the bishop.
  • Illustration: Fol. 116r: Painting 41: The Virgin cures Märqoréwos of his leprosy.
  • Illustration: Fol. 120v: Painting 42: The Virgin cures the woman of her lameness.
  • Illustration: Fol. 129r: Painting 43: Sofya is delivered of her child by the angels.
  • Illustration: Fol. 129v: Painting 44: The child, now grown, comes before the bishop.
  • Illustration: Fol. 132v: Painting 45: Barok is attacked and killed by his enemies, and [right] his corpse is shown in the church.
  • Illustration: Fol. 135r: Painting 46: The Virgin appears to Anest'asyos in a dream.
  • Illustration: Fol. 138v: Painting 47: [left] The monk (called Sämalusi in the inscription) is attacked by his fellow monks, and [right] throws his cap to make a hole in the wall.
  • Illustration: Fol. 143v: Painting 48: [top] The cannibal approaches the farmer; [bottom] he is shown eating his victims.
  • Illustration: Fol. 144r: Painting 49: [top] His soul is saved by the Virgin after it has been weighed in the balance by the archangel Michael; [bottom] the cannibal gives water to the leper.
  • Illustration: Fol. 146r: Painting 50: The widow prays to the Virgin Mary.
  • Illustration: Fol. 146v: Painting 51: The Virgin comes to rescue the widow's son after he has been hanged.
  • Illustration: Fol. 149v: Painting 52: The Virgin protects the woman and her child with her cloak.
  • Illustration: Fol. 152v: Painting 53: The Virgin gives the dog water to drink from her shoe.
  • Illustration: Fol. 155v: Painting 54: [top] Christ grants Mary the Covenant of Mercy; [below] a prostrate supplicant, identified as Awsabyos in the text below.
  • Illustration: Fol. 163v: Painting 55: [top] The Trinity; [bottom] a prostrate supplicant, identified also as Awsabyos in spite of being clearly female.
  • Date and provenance: Mid-18th century. There is no colophon giving the date of composition. However, the hand and style of the paintings are in keeping with a mid eighteenth century date. The invocations for blessings throughout the text are mostly made for one Lätes'un (m.) occasionally in conjunction with that Wälättä Täklä Haymanot (f.). However, the name Awsabyos (m.) has been inserted in the top margin of many leaves, and also appears alongside the picture of the prostrate supplicant in paintings 2, 54 and 55, though in the last instance the figure is clearly female.
  • The text comprises 34 miracles of the Virgin Mary together with 3 miracles of St. George.
  • Fol. 1r: Blank except for pen trial.
Subject:
Edm rights:
  • Copyright Not Evaluated
View in catalog:
Curator's notes:

  • Gəˁəz
    Ethiopia, 18th century, parchment

    Princeton has one of the largest and most significant collections of Gəˁəz (classical Ethiopic) manuscripts in the Americas, dating from the 1600s into the 1900s; The making of Gəˁəz manuscripts is still a living tradition in the Ethiopian Orthodox Täwaḥədo Church. Here, in the paintings for a pre-1400 story titled Scribe with Golden Ink, an Ethiopian scribe copies the book of the Miracles of Our Lady Mary in one painting and, in the next, Mary shows him where his name is on a golden pillar in heaven.

    Princeton Ethiopic 57

    For further reading

    Belcher, Wendy Laura, Jeremy R. Brown, Mehari Worku, Dawit Muluneh and Evgeniia Lambrinaki. “The Ethiopian stories about the Miracles of the Virgin Mary (Täˀammərä Maryam).” In Ethiopia at the crossroads, edited by Christine Sciacca, 299-305. Baltimore: The Walters Art Museum, 2023.

    Princeton Department of Comparative Literature and Princeton Department of African American Studies. PEMM: Princeton Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Egyptian Miracles of Mary (PEMM) project. Accessed May 20, 2025. https://pemm.princeton.edu/en-us

Exhibit category:
Genre:
  • Devotional literature
  • Manuscripts