A collection of texts (prayers, liturgies, John's Revelation, Isaiah, Matthew), including the Ethiopian calendar, known as Book of Abu Shaker, originally written in Arabic by a 13th century Coptic deacon. It preserves much otherwise unknown information on the Alexandrian Jewish and Christian ecclesiastical calendars of the 3rd and 4th centuries CE. It gives intervals between the events of sacred history from the Creation on, and dates events in the life of Christ according to various calendars. In Ethiopia it is known also as Bahra Hassab (The Sea of Reckoning'), and is considered extremely difficult to master. A genealogy of Ethiopian kings included in this manuscript states that it was written in the 31st year of King Fasiledas' reign (1663 CE).
A composite manuscript in Ge'ez (Ethiopic) in several hands, including a variety of religious texts, the Ethiopian calendar, and passages from Scripture with comments
Archive Collection
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- ReferenceGB 102 MS 41383
- Dates of Creation17th century
- Name of Creator
- Language of MaterialGe'ez
- Physical Description1 volume
Scope and Content
Access Information
Manuscript is fragile. Requests to consult the original manuscript should be emailed to docenquiry@soas.ac.uk and marked for the attention of the Head of Special Collections and Archives. Manuscript currently unavailable (March 2017).
Restrictions Apply
Acquisition Information
July, 1941
Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements
H16x W14cm
Conditions Governing Use
For permission to publish, please contact Archives & Special Collections, SOAS Library in the first instance