Churches in rock: early Christian art in Ethiopia

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~ 'At a time when man is beginning to travel to the moon', the Author writes in the introduction to this book, 'it comes as a shock to learn how effortlessly discovery goes on, and yet how evidently unpardonable is the neglect of what is nearest. Only in 1966, in the province of Tegre, I visited three dozen medieval rock~churches which had never yet been seen by non~Ethiopians.' In this book, Georg Gerster tells how he has found Christianity alive in the rock, in churches hidden below rock ledges or inside caves; in sanctuaries hewn out of the rock like gigantic sculptures or free~standing with only their bases rooted in the bedrock. These extraordinary products of ancient Christian church 'building' have not become monuments or museum pieces and are still nearly all in religious use. The Ethiopian rock churches, decorated with unique frescoes, are concealed and difficult of access, and wait like hidden treasure for those hardy enough to attempt to visit them. Gerster's path has led him over mountains 13,000 feet high, to salt deserts and high plateaus, into the huts of country folk and the ascetic cells of monks. He searched for sanctuaries from the air in helicopters and light aircraft. He hunted for them for many months, most of the time travelling alone though occasionally in the company of local chiefs with a retinue of bearers and mountain scouts. The Author's aim was to explore a new field of ancient Christian art and architecture. With scientific thoroughness, he presents the monolithic churches, the tomb churches and grottoes, and captures their architectural and ornamental peculiarities in detail. Not content with general views of the churches in their grandiose surroundings, the author has photographed and recorded a wealth of detail in the decoration of the sacred chambers. This was often done in difficult conditions as frescoes were sometimes concealed and lighting required considerable skill. The particularities of the architecture are illustrated with line drawings and plans. To provide the background and setting for the detailed description of the churches and the iconographic evaluation of their art, these descriptions are preceded by contributions on the cultural history of Ethiopia written by the foremost experts on its religion, history and art.