Architectural symbolism, sacred geography and the Ethiopian Church
The Ethiopian Church considers the consecrated altar to be a symbol of the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant. This paper establishes an outline of the historic development of architectural symbolism and concomitant ideas in the Ethiopian Church, and places beliefs concerning the Ark of the Covenant...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brill
1992
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| In: |
Journal of religion in Africa
Year: 1992, Volume: 22, Issue: 3, Pages: 222-241 |
| Further subjects: | B
Church
B Architecture B Symbol B Ethiopia Christliche Kirche Architecture Symbole Religion History B Religion B History B Ethiopia |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
Electronic |
| Summary: | The Ethiopian Church considers the consecrated altar to be a symbol of the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant. This paper establishes an outline of the historic development of architectural symbolism and concomitant ideas in the Ethiopian Church, and places beliefs concerning the Ark of the Covenant within its historic context. After an examination of the Ethiopian epic 'Kebra Nagast', or 'The glory of the kings', which provides a mythopoetic version of how the Ark of the Covenant became identified with the altar of the Ethiopian Church, the author discusses the symbolic association of the 6th-century cathedral at Aksum with the Christian city of Jerusalem. After the gradual collapse of the Aksumite empire, Ethiopia's political centre shifted to Lasta. The religious centre of Lasta was Roha, presently called Lalibala. Like Aksum, Roha/Lalibala also represented replicas of holy churches in Jerusalem. The Trinity chapel in Roha/Lalibala provides evidence of Old Testament mimesis or appropriation. The Trinity chapel's altar 'tabot' and its symbolic form as throne of God signify that the altar is a copy of the Art of the Covenant. (Documentatieblad/ASC Leiden) |
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| ISSN: | 0022-4200 |
| Contains: | In: Journal of religion in Africa
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