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
What: Vestments, said to be the robe of the Abuna of Ethiopia, made of white and red silk satin with embroidery in gold thread
Where: The Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW7 2RL
The catalogue entry reads:
“Sleeveless, hooded white satin robe. It is is decorated with an applied piece of crimson satin embroidered in gold and silver thread and pearls. There are embroidered inscriptions in Arabic on the hood, and Coptic on the red satin.”
Object history note: Purchased for £10, from R D Kempe. Said to have been taken at the Battle of Magdala.
Date: ca. 1748 (made)
Museum number: 1424-1870
What: A silver and gilded silver gauntlet, said to have belonged to Emperor Tewodros
Where: The Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW7 2RL
The catalogue entry has three images and reads: “This arm defence was looted a British colonel after British troops stormed the Fortress of Magdala (Maqdala), Ethiopia, on 13 April 1868 to rescue foreign hostages held by the Emperor Tewodros. A note in the Museum register records that the object was ‘stated by the vendor to have been taken at the siege of Magdala, 1868, by Col. Macnaghten, Bombay Cavalry and to have been the property of King Theodore’. The V&A bought the armlet in 1922, for £12, from Mrs Louisa Macnaghten.”
Museum number:
M.140-1922
What: A brass processional cross, without socket, bought for £3 from General Holland
Where: The Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW7 2RL
The catalogue entry reads: “Processional cross. Abyssinian. Price £3.0.0. Purchased from Major Holland. Date of receipt from stores 26th April 1869…
“The vendor may have been Major Trevenen James Holland who, with a military colleague, Sir Henry Montague Hozier, provided the only official account of the expedition on the orders of the Secretary of State for War. Their Record of the Expedition to Abyssinia was published in two volumes in 1870.”
Description:
“Central cross within an openwork quatrefoil, surmounted by other crosses. Amharic inscription at centre on one face.”
Museum number:
1733-1869
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
What: An engraved silver cross, made in 1831-1839, taken from Magdala, given by Lords of the Admiralty
Where: The Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW7 2RL
The catalogue entry reads: “In 1868 it was taken by British troops at the siege of Maqdala (Magdala or Mek’dala). The same year, the Lords of the Admiralty placed it on loan at the South Kensington Museum (later renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum).”
Description:
Processional cross. At the top is a representation of God, the Father, framed by four Apostles. The Ascension of Mary is depicted in the centre of the cross. On the right side is Mary and Jesus, accompanied by the Archangels Michael (right) and Gabriel (left). The left side shows the Dormition of Mary (above) and her entombment (below), between which is David playing his harp. At lower left is Saint George slaying the dragon to save the princess Cleodolinda, the latter known in Ethiopia as Brituwit (i.e. from Beirut). The inverted arch supporting the cross normally would have a depiction of Christ but in this case, and very unusually, the Devil is profiled and the singular eye both identifying him and representing evil.
Museum number:
M.25-2005