Fonds JM-EARJ - Ethiopian Archbishop Residence in Jerusalem

Global extent: to be completed; 177 selected and described items

It seems that the archives’ organisation changed several times during the last 50 years: therefore, today’s folders represent only the last state of many arrangements.
Some of the oldest documents show marks of fire incidence and conversation works. These are clues of the poor condition of these archives until the 1960s as stated in the 1966 report found in Addis Ababa.

The Ethiopian archbishop’s residence in the old city preserves a part of Ethiopian community’s archives. These archives are divided into two main sections: the current administrative archival office, which includes all types of administrative documents, and the manuscript section.

• The Administrative section
  In the current administrative archival office, there is an heterogeneous set of documents dated from the end of 19th century to present. There is no historical archives properly speaking. These archives are still used by the local administration for current affairs.
  Among all the folders stored in that place, seven include documents created before 1950: folders n°6, 154, 356, 358, 359, 360 and a last one entitled in Amharic “yä-leyu leyu guday däräseññoč käzih yegäññalu” including different types of documents unclassified. In addition to these folders, a book written in 1903-1904 (manuscript in Amharic) was recorded as “folder” n°172 and a report written in 1925 as “folder” 216.
  Documents dated before to 1950 found in the archives (ca. 160 documents) are administrative and financial documents, such as payment receipts, cheques, bank documents, financial reports, letters and correspondence including daily issues of the community, etc. These documents are written in Arabic, English, French, German languages. Amharic marginalia are often added to documents in order to give a clue to the topic of the document. Very few documents are fully written in Amharic. 55 documents are written in Arabic.

• The manuscripts section
  The manuscripts section carefully preserves numerous parchment and paper manuscripts written in Ethiopian languages (Geez and Amharic). The collection represents more than 760 manuscripts. The oldest one dates back to the 15th century.

Through this collection, one could study the daily life of the Ethiopian religious community established in Jerusalem, and get information to understand all their problems and opportunities, such as housing, supplies, access to public services, administration or worship. Receipts and payment document are witnesses of Ethiopian involvement in local life.

The collection is still increasing.

Subject to the authorization of Ethiopian Archbishop Residence in Jerusalem.

Two catalogues are available for the manuscript section, but they provide incomplete information.

Pedersen, Kirsten. The History of the Ethiopian Community in the Holy Land from the Time of Emperor Tewodros II till 1974. Jerusalem: The Ecumenical Institute for Theological Research, 1983.

Pedersen, Kirsten. “The Historiography of the Ethiopian monastery in Jerusalem”, Ethiopian Studies, Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference of Ethiopian Studies, edited by G. Goldenberg and B. Podolsky, 419-426. Rotterdam: Balkema, 1986.

Ancel, Stéphane and Lemire, Vincent, "New Sources on the Ethiopian Christian Community in Jerusalem, 1840–1940", Jerusalem Quarterly, vol. 71, 2017, pp. 106-119.

http://openjlem.hypotheses.org/tag/archbishops-residence

ISAD(G), Second Edition, Ottawa 2000.

Catalogue prepared on January 2018

Inventory of a range of items from the Archives of the Ethiopian Archbishop Residence in Jerusalem, (1896-Present), held by the Ethiopian Archbishop Residence in Jerusalem, made by Stéphane Ancel, 2018.