Biggest collection of Ethiopian treasure under threat

A crisis is looming over the future of the world’s largest and most important collection of Ethiopian cultural heritage and treasures. The historic building – once Emperor Haile Selassie’s palace, and which now houses the thousands of precious manuscripts and religious artifacts - is in danger of collapse. A campaign by the internationally renowned Institute of Ethiopian Studies (IES) has been launched to build a new structure to house the treasures. The IES is hoping to build a new library so that the books and manuscripts can be moved there. The former emperor’s home - the Ras Makonnen Hall - would then just remain a museum. At present the building is both a museum and library. The IES, which is trying to raise US $5 million to build the library, has completed the architectural drawings, but admits it has a long way to go. International scholars recognise the IES as housing the finest and most prestigious collection of Ethiopian treasures anywhere in the world. Among the treasured items are 94,000 books, 17,000 manuscripts and 38,000 photographs. But less than 50 percent of the icons, Ethiopian crosses and manuscripts are exhibited due to lack of space in the museum. In icons alone, the collection is worth more than US $1 million. The IES also has documents written in Adare – a language only spoken within the walls of Harar, the fourth holiest Muslim site in the world. Professor Richard Pankhurst, a British-born expert in Ethiopian culture who helped found the IES in 1961, says the collection is the envy of the world. Many of the items are priceless, as they can never be replaced or no copies exist elsewhere, he told IRIN. He said 40 years ago, the study of Ethiopia was "almost entirely in the hands" of foreign academics in foreign libraries and museums. Pankhurst, who has spent most of his life in Ethiopia, said now scholars were travelling to the IES to pursue their work. But, he said, the Institute was suffering from its own success due to its massive expansion over the last four decades. Many of the treasures are not on show due to the lack of space and cataloguing has fallen behind because the building is so crowded. Also precious manuscripts need to be kept in the right conditions. Many academics recognise that without the IES, numerous treasures would have been lost to the country for ever and ended up with foreign collectors and museums. The campaign has won the backing of Ethiopian President Girma Woldegiorgis. On Saturday he unveiled the foundation stone for the new library. Dr Tetemke Mehari, the vice-president of Addis Ababa University, who is also backing the campaign, said the new-found space would have a triple benefit. "The construction of a new building will provide the museum with more space for better storage, restoration and exhibition of the precious objects, which for lack of space have rarely been fully displayed," he said. He stressed that the museum and library were essential for students studying Ethiopian history and culture. [The IES can be contacted via email on [email protected] or telephone Addis Ababa 00 251 1 119469]