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36.10, Gondarine sensul

Abstract

This Ethopian sensul, or "chain" manuscript, was made in the seventeenth century in the Gondarine region. It was created out of a single folded strip of parchment attached to heavy hide "boards" at each end, creating a small book when folded. Comprised solely of inscribed images, this pocket-sized manuscript would have served a devotional function for its owner, who while unidentified, inscribed the first image with a note reminding people under the threat of excommunication not to steal or erase the manuscript. Narrative illuminations, which tell the story of the Virgin Mary, allow for private meditation. The book can also function as something of an icon, for when it is opened to the middle and stood on end, the facing figures of St. George and the Virgin and Child form a small diptych, resembling other icons of this era.

Manuscript Description (in a new window) | TEI (XML format)

Persistent URLs (PURLs)

The following URLs are assured to route to the named resources. For more information see the ReadMe file.

  • http://purl.thewalters.org/art/36.10/browse
  • http://purl.thewalters.org/art/36.10/TEI
  • http://purl.thewalters.org/art/36.10/description
  • http://purl.thewalters.org/art/36.10/data
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    1. Upper board outside

      36.10, Upper board outside
    2. Upper board inside

      36.10, Upper board inside
    3. fol. 1r

      36.10, fol. 1r
    4. fol. 1v

      36.10, fol. 1v
    5. fol. 2r

      36.10, fol. 2r
    6. fol. 2v

      36.10, fol. 2v
    7. fol. 3r

      36.10, fol. 3r
    8. fol. 3v

      36.10, fol. 3v
    9. fol. 4r

      36.10, fol. 4r
    10. fol. 4v

      36.10, fol. 4v
    11. Lower board inside

      36.10, Lower board inside
    12. Lower board outside

      36.10, Lower board outside
    13. 4v back

      36.10, 4v back
    14. 4r back

      36.10, 4r back
    15. 3v back

      36.10, 3v back
    16. 3r back

      36.10, 3r back
    17. 2v back

      36.10, 2v back
    18. 2r back

      36.10, 2r back
    19. 1v back

      36.10, 1v back
    20. 1r back

      36.10, 1r back
    21. Back-edge

      36.10, Back-edge
    22. Fore-edge

      36.10, Fore-edge
    23. Head

      36.10, Head
    24. Tail

      36.10, Tail

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