Hidden Churches and Treasures of Ethiopia

Ethiopian Christianity has long fascinated me, and remains an area I want to explore more deeply. When I teach my introductory course on iconography, I try to work in Ethiopian icons because I love their vibrant colours and patterns, and how they are so markedly different from the Byzantine and Coptic traditions: more exuberant than the former, more colourful than the latter but in any event quite captivating.

A book set for release this week looks at the churches where one finds some of those icons, and much else besides: Bob Friedlander  Marie-Jose Friedlander, Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia: A Guide to the Remote Churches of an Ancient Land (I.B. Tauris, 2015), 352pp.

About this book we are told:

Ethiopia is a land of hidden treasures, and among the greatest are its remote churches, whose richly decorated interiors amaze and astound with their vibrant colours and extraordinary illustration. Yet steeped in ancient legend, and often situated in remote locations, a true appreciation and understanding of these unique churches and their spectacular murals has been restricted to a select few. Now, in Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia, Maria-Jose Friedlander provides a unique guide to the churches, their architecture and decoration. Ranging from the rock-hewn churches of the Tigray region to the spectacular timber-built cave church of Yemrehane Krestos, Maria-Jose Friedlander provides detailed descriptions of the wonderful murals and of the stories behind them. Many of the wall paintings contain inscriptions in Ge'ez - the ancient language of Ethiopia - and full translations of these scripts are given. Detailed plans show the exact location of the paintings within the churches and the superb colour photographs by Bob Friedlander show the many aspects of the churches and their decoration