The Prince and the Plunder

A book on how Britain took one boy and piles of treasures from Ethiopia

Category: Chalices & vessels

Saint Roumanos’s communion cup

Published / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: A communion cup, said to have belonged to the 5th century saint Roumanos, 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:

“Chalice or communion cup cast in bronze in two parts; bowl and stem with round base. The base of the bowl is soldered to the top of the stem. The round base is decorated with triangular and diamond patterns, some having become irregular holes in the casting process.”

Curator’s comments:

“Said to have belonged to Roumanos, a 5th century saint. ‘From church at Baraka'”

Details
Museum number: Af1868,1001.12
Date: 5thC (?)
Height: 18 cm
Width: 15.4 cm
Depth: 15.4 cm
Previous owner/ex-collection: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868

Communion cup bowl *

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

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

Provenance: In the catalogue, it is associated with the Siege of Magdala 1868

The catalogue entry reads: “Bowl from a chalice or communion cup made of silver”

Curator’s comments: The bowl is probably part of a chalice or communion cup used during the Eucharist to contain communion wine.

Details
Museum number: Af1868,1230.1
Acquisition name: Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh
Acquisition date: 1868

Silver gilt paten inscribed with the emperor’s name

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What: A silver gilt paten, inscribed with the emperor’s name, 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 mentioned at length in acquisition notes. Paten marked with Tewodros’s name.

The catalogue entry reads:

“Paten made of silver gilt engraved with holy images on uppermost surface and Ge’ez inscriptions around the rim. In the centre of the paten is the representation of Christ as the sacrificial lamb, to the left is the Virgin Mary with a cross on her mantle and an elaborate halo. She kneels before the lamb; tears are shown on her face and her hands are raised in grief. To the right are two identical bearded men in tears, with hands raised in grief. Below the lamb is a semi prostrate figure of a man in priest’s robes. Around the edge of the paten are eleven figures which represent Christ’s followers, all bearded and wearing hooded priests’ robes. Around the internal surface of the raised rim are seven angels.”

Inscription Translation: “This paten […] (for the) house of Mary was given by Emperor Tewodros for the deliverance of his body and soul.”

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1001.11
Field Collection by: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868

Silver gilt cup engraved ‘King of Kings, Theodore’

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What: A silver gilt cup engraved “King of Kings, Theodore”

Where: The Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW7 2RL

The catalog entry describes: “Silver gilt cup with a beaded and fluted foot with filigree ornament, with a knop and similar ornament around the bowl, Abyssinia … Engraved “King of Kings, Theodore”

Museum number:
63-1870

A golden chalice

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What: A golden chalice, made around 1735-1740

Where: The Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW7 2RL

The catalogue entry says the chalice “was deposited at the South Kensington Museum (later renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum) by H.M. Treasury in 1872”.

An inscription on the chalice says: “The chalice was taken by British troops at the siege of Maqdala (Magdala) in 1868. This is the chalice of our King Iyyasu, whose throne name is Adyam Saggard, and of our Empress Walatta Giyorgis, Berhan Mogasa, which they gave to the tabot of Qwesqwam [that is, the church in which the tabot was preserved] so that it might be for them salvation of body and soul.”

Museum number:
M.26-2005

Silver and gold communion cup inscribed with the emperor’s name

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What: A silver and gold communion cup, inscribed with Emperor Tewodros’ name, 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 mentioned at length in acquisition notes. Cup marked with Tewodros’s name.

The catalogue entry reads:

“Communion chalice made of silver and gilded with gold on the interior surface. The chalice has a wide circular base with a finely crenulated edge, a tall octagonal stem with three convex bands of moulding with wire work decoration and a crenulated rim with ge’ez inscription.”

Inscription Translation: This eucharist chalice for Jesus […] was given by Emperor Tewodros for the salvation of his body and soul.

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1001.8
Field Collection by: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes biography
Acquisition date: 1868