Ethiopian prayer scroll
A blend of religious traditions (Christian, Jewish, Islamic and pagan), folk medicine and ritual art, Ethiopian magic scrolls are as much healing tools as they are visual works of art.
an ancestral rite
First appearing during the Akkumite Empire (between the 1st and 6th centuries CE), several million scrolls are thought to have been in use until recently - although their use seems to have declined sharply from the 1970s onwards.
And although centuries have passed, the form and principle remain the same: a scroll made "to measure" to the size of the client, in goatskin or sheepskin, and filled with prayers and talismanic images endowed with magical powers, for protection from head to toe.
Made-to-measure right down to the last detail, each scroll was personalized according to religious and astrological guidelines, since the sick person's sign could influence the choice of talismans. A surprising combo of influences that only the däbtära (a kind of lay priest) could master. With his knowledge of God's secret names, only he could invoke him and compel him to help his client through writing.
Just like the the Egyptians who attributed a power of truth to writing, graphics also have a power in their own right: that of protection.
By interweaving prayers, formulas and graphic representations, the scroll becomes a veritable talisman for :
Protect against evil spirits, the evil eye and disease.
Healing physical and mental ailments.
Repelling demonic forces.
Balancing body, mind and soul.
The power of graphics
One of the most frequently used prayers is Solomon's Net, which evokes the story of how King Solomon forced the king of the demon blacksmiths to reveal his spells. It is often accompanied by a talismanic eight-pointed star design, supposed to trap demons within its intertwined lines.
More than just decorative, talismanic designs have an essential role to play. Through their form and treatment, they have the power to reinforce written prayers and amplify the healing process.
Depending on the choice of däbtära, the interpretation of the images is not fixed. However, according to my research, angels are among the most frequent motifs: they may appear in full frontal view with swords, or in the form of a face surrounded by eight stylized wings, and would have the role of striking down evil.
We also often find saints on horseback, in particular Saint Susényos, destroyer of the child-killing demon Werzelya. His image and prayers are used to protect pregnancies.
The power of the look
It's worth noting that the däbtäras attribute a power of their own to the eyes - being, according to them, the source of good or evil. In Ethiopian talismanic art, the eyes become the channels through which demons leave the body:
during the healing process, scrolls are unrolled, priests recite prayers, holy water is distributed, and images are displayed. The demon (embodied by the disease) then sees these images through the eyes of his human victim. The eyes on the scroll reflect this gaze until the demon flees.
This visual face-to-face encounter is essential, as invoking the names of God alone is not enough. So, even if the owner of the scroll can't read, it's the demon (or spirit) who, through the eyes of his victim, will decipher the scroll.
A guardian angel armed with a sword symbolizing the fight against Satan and demons. It may be related to the protégé's astrological sign.
Here, the scrolling eye motifs surrounding a central face form Solomon's protective seal. This almost abstract image allows the drawing to be read in all directions.
The wide-open, obliquely placed eyes indicate that this seal can be read endlessly from one angle to another - preventing the demon from gaining access to the protected person.
Reproductions of the scrolls presented at Quai Branly
ward off fate
So, beyond words and prayers, it's graphics that embody the magical power of these scrolls. Through the force of their lines, symbols and frozen gazes, talismanic images act as spiritual and therapeutic vectors. They make the invisible visible, translate divine invocation into sensitive language, and impose a sacred presence capable of scaring off demons. In a world where the gaze is action, where the image becomes an incantation, the drawing is no longer an ornament, but a bulwark: it heals, protects and links the human body to the mystical forces that surround it.
The Ethiopian magic scrolls are a striking reminder that, in certain cultures, drawing is tantamount to conjuring.