AVAILABLE MAY 2012
320 pages, hardback, 300 x 240 mm, 290 colour illustrations
PRICE: £40.00
ISBN: 9781907372193
The Unesco World Heritage site of Lalibela in Ethiopia is one of the most extraordinary places in the world. It contains thirteen churches, all of them hewn or carved from the native tufa rock in imitation of buildings.The site has usually been dated to the 13th century, when legend has it it was founded by King Lalibala, ruler of a newly united kingdom a number of centuries after the fall of the sacred capital Aksum, which had converted to Christianity in the 4th century. However, nothing of its accepted or assumed history can be regarded as certain.
Lalibela and the Ethiopian kingdom remained unknown to the West during the period of the Crusades, and first came to Western notice when its ruler sent an embassy to Portugal at the beginning of the 16th century. Dissecting the fragmentary evidence – including the decorations, church furnishings, manuscripts and mural paintings – associated with the site is a daunting task, requiring a knowledge of Ethiopian culture and its languages that the authors of this book are rare in possessing.
This is the first book to consider this extraordinary site in all its many dimensions – historical and cultural, archaeological, architectural, art historical and documentary. It is, not least, a fascinating detective story!
Ethiopia has often attracted attention because of its unique position as an ancient Christian culture far into Africa. Many people have been fascinated by the brilliant colours and childlike directness of recent traditional Ethiopian art. Little attention, however, has been given to the great periods that this culture has witnessed in the past. The 15th century saw a magnificent flowering of painting… More
The unique character of Ethiopian art is the legacy of its situation high in the mountains on the Horn of Africa. Though remote and often isolated it evolved a tradition, going back to the fourth century AD, in response to contacts with Byzantine, European and Islamic cultures. More
The ancient kingdoms of the Cameroon Grassfields are famous for their splendid artworks – thrones ornamented with precious European beads, wooden figures sculptured by unknown masters, enormous drums, finely carved jewellery made from ivory and brass, as well as fabulous masks. This exhibition catalogue presents 150 impressive masterpieces from the courts of the Grassfield kingdoms. More