Playing cards have color illustrations and suits and blank versos. Cards are translucent and illustrated with hidden illustrated scenes, captions include Biblical proverbs.
Ff. 1r-122r. Psalter, Dawit, ዳዊት: Ff. 1r–109v: Psalms of David, መዝሙር ዘዳዊት; Psalm 77 does not mark the midpoint; Psalm 119 identifies the spiritual meaning of the Hebrew letters with the simple modern system; Psalm 151 contains the short version; ff. 110r–121r: Biblical Canticles, መሓልየ ነቢያት; ff. 135v–143r: Song of Songs, መኃልየ መኃልይ, common version; ff. 143r–151v: Praises of Mary, ውዳሴ ማርያም, arranged for the days of the week: Monday (f. 143r), Tuesday (f. 144r), Wednesday (f. 145r), Thursday (f. 147r), Friday (f. 148v), Saturday (f. 149v), Sunday (f. 150v); ff. 151v–154v: Gate of Light, አንቀጸ ብርሃን., Illuminations and Pictures: f. i r(ecto): clippings of photographs from a Swedish magazine of braided hair of three Ethiopian women; f. ii r (ecto): photograph of the entrance up the rope to Dabra Damo; f. ii v (erso): picture of Ethiopians gathered for a meal with the following caption: “Traditional dinner of fiery stew and barley beer spreads before the author, who was invited to the home of a family in Lalibela, kneeling hostess serves the meal. Musicians play washint and masinko, a flute and one-stringed violin. An isolated village of rock-hewn churches, Lalibela is one of Ethiopia’s holiest places.”, and Manuscript in an unidentified hand of the 20th century, containing psalter, prayers, and songs from the Old Testament.
Description:
Accompanied by ceremonial horsehair whisk., Between wooden boards with four chain stitches. One column (ff.1r-143r); two columns (ff.143r-154v), 23 lines per page. In black and red ink. Mahdar case., Copying of this book was completed on the 30th of Ḫedar., Gift of Viletta Hutchinson., and In Geʻez.
