What: A censor decorated with angels, given by Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Used as an illustration on the museum’s Maqdala collection page.

The catalogue entry reads:

“Censer with lid made of silver in the form of a square container on a pyramidal base, engraved with serpentine motifs. The container is engraved on all four sides with pairs of angels with their wings crossed in front of them in fear of divine glory. There are four suspension points, one in the centre of each side and suspension points at each corner, only one of which has a spherical silver bell. The separate arched lid is cut away with rows of four crosses with both the cut-out and solid form creating cruciform motifs. The lid is surmounted with an open work box and an ornate cross with suspension loop.”

Details
Museum number: Af1868,1230.4
Date: 18thC
Acquisition name: Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh
Acquisition date: 1868

What: A censer with a small piece of corrosion, taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Maqdala referenced at length in the museum’s acquisition notes.

The catalogue entry reads:

“Censer cast in bronze in two parts; a square bodied container on pyramidal base and an arched, open work lid. The body of the container which has a Ge’ez inscription on one side, has a suspension ring on each corner and one centrally placed on three sides of the rim, one is missing. Three chains pass through the centrally placed rings to corresponding rings on the top of the lid securing it in place. One chain is missing. The chains, with multiple round bells are attached to a hollow, cast handle. A square patch on the top of the lid indicates a missing finial. The inner surface of censer is encrusted with burnt incense.”

Partial inscription translation:
This [..] was given for Aba Tekle Haymanot […]

Detail: 
Museum number: Af1868,1001.14
Condition: Patch of corrosion and small hole to one side of container.
Previous owner/ex-collection: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868

What: A bronze censer taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Maqdala referenced at length in the museum’s acquisition notes.

The catalogue entry reads:

“Censer cast in bronze in four parts; round open work base, bowl, domed open work lid and open work handle. The hollow base narrows to a cylindrical stem which is soldered to the base of the bowl. Three suspension rings on the rim of the bowl correspond to three similar on the rim of the lid, through which three iron chains pass, each decorated with three round bronze bells. The open work of the lid forms crescents and diamond shaped cut outs. It is surmounted with and open sided box mounted with a cross. A fourth iron chain is attached to a suspension hole in the top of the cross. All the chains attach to a cast bronze, open work handle, hollow with looped top, mounted with a cross. The open work forms twelve squares. The inner surface of the censer is encrusted with burnt incense.

Details:
Museum number: Af1868,1001.15
Height: 28 cm (top of the lid)
Height: 67 cm (with chains and handle extended)
Width: 15 cm
Depth: 15 cm
Previous owner/ex-collection: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868

What: Censer with inscription taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Maqdala referenced at length in the museum’s acquisition notes.

The catalogue entry reads:

“Censer cast in bronze in three parts; base, container and lid, attached to a handle with five chains with multiple bells. The open work pyramidal base is attached to the body of the censer with a large square nail. The square shaped container is inscribed on two sides, has a diamond shaped suspension point on each corner and a centrally placed suspension ring on each side. The open work lid is surmounted with a cross with suspension ring and chain which attaches to a cast, open work handle with cross shaped finial. Four chains pass through the rings on the body and lid and are attached with multiple bells. Tied to one of the chains is a small piece of blue silk thread and a piece of thick white cotton thread. Inner surface of censer is thickly encrusted with burnt incense.”

Inscription Translation
“How she put her trust in the name (?) and gave to […] Mary for […]”

Museum number: Af1868,1001.13
Height: 29 cm (to top of lid)
Height: 88 cm (to top of handle, chains outstretched)
Width: 11 cm
Depth: 11 cm
Previous owner/ex-collection: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868

What: A sistrum, given by Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

The catalogue entry reads:

“Top part of a sistrum, tsenatsil cast in two parts, body and octagonal, hollow shaft. The two sides of the sistrum are decorated with openwork, interlocking crosses and along their edges; with five pairs of semi circular decorations. Two wires with flattened ends are threaded through the sides of the sistrum and are each threaded with three brass discs which make the instruments distinct sound. The hollow shaft is soldered to the base and has two small holes which would have been used to attach it to a handle. The sides of the sistrum have been crushed inwards and the top decoration is missing.”

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1230.12
Date: 19thC
Acquisition name: Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh
Acquisition date: 1868