ADDIS ABABA: Armed with a big ink pen and a steady hand, Orthodox priest in Ethiopia Zelalem Mola carefully replicates text in the ancient language Ge’ez from an old religious book onto a goatskin parchment.
This difficult task is aimed at preserving an ancient tradition, says the forty-two-year-old.
In Addis Ababa, priests and lay worshippers at the Hamere Berhan Institute work by hand to copy sometimes centuries-old religious books, manuscripts and sacred artwork.
The pens, inks and parchments are all prepared at the institute, which is located in the Piasa district in the historic heart of Addis Abababa.
Yeshiemebet Sisay, the in charge of communications at Hamere Berhan, says the work started four years ago.
Ancient parchment manuscrips are disappearing
She said that ancient parchment manuscripts and books are disappearing from their culture, which motivated them to start this project.
The precious works are kept often in monasteries, where religious chants or prayers are offered using only parchment rather than paper books.
However, Yeshiemebet said that this custom is increasingly fading.
In the prestigious institute’s courtyard, workers put the goatskins over metal frames to dry under sun which slightly pierces the milky sky.
After the goatskin is doused in the water for three to four long days, they make holes on its edge and tie it to the metal frame so that it can stretch, Tinsaye Chere Ayele told AFP.
He said that after that, the extra layer of fat inside the skin is removed to clean it perfectly.
Alongside two other co-workers, the twenty-year-old carries out his difficult task using a makeshift scraper.
Once dry and clean, the skins are separated of the goat hair and then cut to the required size for use as pages for painting or a book.
Yeshiemebet added that most of the manuscripts are commissioned by people who then donate them to monasteries or churches. –AFP/APP
