Cannibal of Qemer
Image displayed with permission of British Library
Cannibal of Qemer
- This painting (also called an illumination) appears in a manuscript taken from King Tewodros's royal library in Magdala, Southern Ethiopia, and dated to 1600-1699. You can view this painting in the manuscript British Library, "Orient" Collection, Manuscript No. 639, f. 158v, or learn more about this manuscript at its PEMM Manuscript page. You can also read the related story at its PEMM Story page.
- Many Geʿez manuscript paintings are in "Synoptic Narrative Art” style; that is, a single painting depicts multiple moments in the story, providing a series of vignettes representing different plot points. PEMM calls these "episodes". This painting of PEMM Story ID 125 has 3 episodes. The painting's episode descriptions, locations, and keywords are:
- 1. The cannibal surrounded by the bodies of those he killed (top). The object(s) are sword; decapitated bodies; house. The living being(s) are cannibal; murderer; noble.
- 2. The cannibal offering water to a beggar covered by sores of leprosy (bottom-left). The object(s) are water container; recurve bow; arrow; quiver; crown; scepter; fingernails; fly whisk; leprosy; pantaloons; garters; waistcoat with metal clasps; handlebar moustache. The living being(s) are noble; beggar.
- 3. The peasant and other inhabitants fleeing from the cannibal, with several houses depicted in the background (bottom-right). The object(s) are house; spear. The living being(s) are servant; farmer.
This Ethiopian painting depicts the main character, the cannibal, as European. He is wearing a waistcoat with metal clasps, pantaloons, and garters on his legs. His handlebar moustache and extremely long eyelashes also mark him as European. In most folklore, cannibals are from outside groups, they are not "us," so it is not surprising that the painter depicted the cannibal as European during this period when the Jesuits were in Ethiopia and the country had fallen into civil war as a result.
- The number of PEMM manuscripts that have paintings of this story is 46. The total number of paintings of this story in PEMM manuscripts is 94.
- PEMM's ID number for this painting is 1558.
- To reproduce this image online or in print, please contact the British Library. PEMM does not own the rights.
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