TeTra Research Seminar | July 4th, 2024
Sophia Dege-Müller (Universität Hamburg)
Scribes at work - the transmission of texts from Ethiopian Christians to Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish)
It has become increasingly clear to scholars studying the textual heritage of Ethiopian Christians and the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews) that the two communities share numerous traditions. Both groups rely on parchment manuscripts written primarily in Geez for their religious practices, and it has been shown that the Beta Israel acquired many of their manuscripts from Christian scribes, prompting adaptations to align with their distinct religious practices. These modifications often involved alterations to the physical characteristics of the manuscripts, such as the removal of crosses, the erasure of certain words, and even the excision of entire sections.
This research paper aims to explore the codicological aspects of the Beta Israel manuscript tradition, while also highlighting the scribal practices of the Beta Israel themselves. Notably, a significant portion of the studied Beta Israel manuscript collections is made up of smaller codices crafted by scribes within the community, showcasing original scribe work. Through a detailed analysis of the text Gadla Susanna (Life of Susanna), we will explore the textual transformations executed by these scribes to tailor the content of texts to their specific religious needs and interpretations. Another important focus of this presentation will be different practices associated with the use of manuscripts.
uni-hamburg.academia.edu/SophiaDegeMüller