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Ethiopian Magic Scroll (from the late 19th century)

This is an attractive scroll in excellent condition with four talismanic paintings coloured in blue, red and yellow. The first shows the figure of a guardian angel with drawn sword. Above the figure is an exceptionally fine series of bands of decoration in the form of laticework and crosses, some incorpating protective eyes. The second shows a grid of nine squares filled with alternating face and cruciform motifs. The third shows a cruciform laticework design. And the fourth shows a schematic eight-pointed star with a central face motif. The original owner’s name (a woman) remains throughout as Wälättä Maryam, accompanied once with her given name Mässäläch.