Vestment thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Vestment

Vestment
ca. 1748 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Ethiopia (made)

Sleeveless, hooded white satin robe. It is is decorated with an applied piece of crimson satin embroidered in gold and silver thread and pearls. There are embroidered inscriptions in Arabic on the hood, and Coptic on the red satin.


Object details

Categories
Ecclesiastical Textiles
Embroidery
Africa
Object type
Vestment
TitleVestment
Materials and techniques
Silk satin and linen embroidered in gold thread
Silk (Textile)
Linen (Material)
Gold Thread
Pearls
Embroidering
Brief description
Robe of the Abuna (Metropolitan) of Ethiopia, white and red silk satin with embroidery in gold thread, Ethiopia, about 1748
Physical description
Sleeveless, hooded white satin robe. It is is decorated with an applied piece of crimson satin embroidered in gold and silver thread and pearls. There are embroidered inscriptions in Arabic on the hood, and Coptic on the red satin.
Marks and inscriptions
  • in Arabic script (at proper left, on hood. Translation made by colleagues from Institute of Ethiopian Studies, January 2009.)
    Translation
    O God your priests ... justice and your good people are always joyful
  • in Arabic script. (at proper right, on hood. Translation made by colleagues from Institute of Ethiopian Studies, January 2009.)
    Translation
    When you pray, may God hear you. May invoking the name of the God of Justice give you victory. Amen, Halelujah.
  • in Arabic script. (at lower edge, on hood. Translation made by colleagues from Institute of Ethiopian Studies, January 2009.)
    Translation
    Emmanuel, in the name of the Father, by the Patriarch Father Markos, May God give him long life. This year 1464.
Object history
Purchased for £10, from R. D. Kempe. Said to have been taken at the siege of Maqdala (Magdala). The embroidery may have been carried out by Egyptian craftsmen.
Production
Dated 1464 according to Coptic calendar; the Coptic year 1464 ran from 30 September 1747 until 28 September 1748.
Association
Siege of Maqdala
Collection
Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number
1424-1870

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Record createdDecember 9, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O86941/vestment-vestment-unknown/
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