Culture
Ethiopia Rejects Commercial Buyback Offer for Looted 18th-Century Manuscript
Capital Ethiopia · 2 weeks ago · Read the Full Story on Capital Ethiopia
AI SUMMARY
The Ethiopian Heritage Authority has rejected a buyback offer from a UAE-based dealer and demanded the unconditional return of an 18th-century sacred manuscript looted during the 1868 Battle of Magdala.
- The Ethiopian Heritage Authority has initiated high-level discussions to block the commercial auction of the Gondarine Gospel, a sacred 18th-century manuscript linked to Emperor Tewodros II.
- The rare book dealer Inlibris listed the manuscript for an auction scheduled in Abu Dhabi from September 13 to 18, 2026, with a starting guide price of 250,000 Euros.
- Written in Ge'ez on vellum, the historical artifact contains the Gospel of Luke, most of the Gospel of John, and 235 detailed biblical paintings.
- The manuscript was looted by British troops during the 1868 Battle of Magdala and passed through several private and institutional collections, including the Pitt Rivers Museum.
- Inlibris offered to sell the manuscript back to Ethiopia at a preferential price as a goodwill gesture, on the condition that it be treated as a standard commercial transaction.
- Abebaw Ayalew, Director General of the Ethiopian Heritage Authority, rejected the dealer's terms and formally demanded an immediate halt to the sale and unconditional repatriation.
- The dispute occurs as 17 other ancient spiritual parchment manuscripts were successfully returned to Ethiopia this week, contributing to over 67 repatriated items in the last seven years.
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