Manuscript, ink and paint on vellum, dated 2 Adar (1742). Inventory of the dowry brought by the bride, Reina bat Shelomoh ibn Senior, to her bridegroom, Shelomoh ben Hayim Farhi. Text is surrounded by an architectural border with multicolor floral design. The style is Middle Eastern, as is the calligraphy. At the bottom of the manuscript are the elaborate and ornamental signatures of the two witnesses, which is typical of the Middle East and North Africa.
Description:
Bride: Reina bat Shelomoh Ibn Senior., Bridegroom: Shelomoh ben Hayim Farh., Dowry inventory., Forms part of the Sholem Asch Papers., Gift of Louis M. Rabinowitz, 1943., and In Hebrew.
Ff. 1r-122r. Psalter, Dawit, ዳዊት: Ff. 1r–109v: Psalms of David, መዝሙር ዘዳዊት; Psalm 77 does not mark the midpoint; Psalm 119 identifies the spiritual meaning of the Hebrew letters with the simple modern system; Psalm 151 contains the short version; ff. 110r–121r: Biblical Canticles, መሓልየ ነቢያት; ff. 135v–143r: Song of Songs, መኃልየ መኃልይ, common version; ff. 143r–151v: Praises of Mary, ውዳሴ ማርያም, arranged for the days of the week: Monday (f. 143r), Tuesday (f. 144r), Wednesday (f. 145r), Thursday (f. 147r), Friday (f. 148v), Saturday (f. 149v), Sunday (f. 150v); ff. 151v–154v: Gate of Light, አንቀጸ ብርሃን., Illuminations and Pictures: f. i r(ecto): clippings of photographs from a Swedish magazine of braided hair of three Ethiopian women; f. ii r (ecto): photograph of the entrance up the rope to Dabra Damo; f. ii v (erso): picture of Ethiopians gathered for a meal with the following caption: “Traditional dinner of fiery stew and barley beer spreads before the author, who was invited to the home of a family in Lalibela, kneeling hostess serves the meal. Musicians play washint and masinko, a flute and one-stringed violin. An isolated village of rock-hewn churches, Lalibela is one of Ethiopia’s holiest places.”, and Manuscript in an unidentified hand of the 20th century, containing psalter, prayers, and songs from the Old Testament.
Description:
Accompanied by ceremonial horsehair whisk., Between wooden boards with four chain stitches. One column (ff.1r-143r); two columns (ff.143r-154v), 23 lines per page. In black and red ink. Mahdar case., Copying of this book was completed on the 30th of Ḫedar., Gift of Viletta Hutchinson., and In Geʻez.