- Collection type
- Object
- Description
- Cloth inscribed with magical symbols in a series of squares, from the tent of King Theodore of Abyssinia.
- Geographical reference
- Date / Period
- Date made: Before 1868?, uncertain
- Date collected
- By 1868?
- Acquisition information
- Donated: 10/1886, uncertain Transferred: 10/1886, uncertain
- Dimensions
- Width 520 mm, Length 890 mm
- Object numbers
- Accession number: 1886.13.1
- Research and responses
Donor is sister-in-law of Edward Burnett Tylor. [CF 3/5/2001]
The British seige of the mountain fortress of Magdala [also spelt Magdela Amba Maryam (or Mek'dela) AP 2003] in 1868 was sparked by a diplomatic spat when Emperor Theodore II imprisoned 5 Britons and some German missionaries. The British force was led by Sir Robert Napier. It landed in October 21, 1867 and marched inland to Magdala, the Emperor's capital in NW Ethiopia. The battle took place on April 10 1868 and the fortress fell 3 days later, when Magdala was looted. Much of the loot was auctioned and raised £5000 in 'prize money' for the troops [based on an account in the Edinburgh Evening News 5 December 2001 about the return of one of the sacred objects that was looted]. It must be probable that this item was one of the looted objects taken at that time [AP 4/2/2002]
- Associated publications
- Illustrated on page 29 of Amulets: A World of Secret Powers, Charms and Magic by Sheila Paine (London: Thames and Hudson, 2004) and with the following caption: "Cloth of magical figures in squares, from the tent of King Theodore of Abyssinia, present-day Ethiopia" and credited on page 186 as "Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford, Acc. No. 1886.13.1". Copy in RDF. [JP 6/10/2004]
1886.13.1
Cloth inscribed with magical symbols in a series of squares, from the tent of King Theodore of Abyssinia.
1886.13.1
Digital asset copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford
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