Demeke Explains Ethiopian Manuscripts: Part III

[jrpone]

God I love Ethiopia!!

[tadelesh12]

Great work Ato Demeke!

Do you have any ideas that how many manuscripts lost and burnt to ground during all the enemies Ethiopia faced?

I have read there were thousands, but

stolen and burnt.

[EriPages]

@tadelesh12

Yes...it's disheartening...infuriating...

Buildings can be rebuilt...but ancient text? FUCK the sudanese/egyptians/arabs/somal­ians/afars/ottoman turks for their constant Islamic Invasions & vandalism

[bekelemess]

nice properties that we have to keep and transfer to the next generation.

I think it is better to use hand gloves since touching them with hands shortens their life.

I see very often people touching them with out gloves.

[resurgam44]

@bekelemess

Gloves aren't really necessary. Books have been man-handled for centuries without the use of gloves, so there is really no need to start using them now. In fact, since a delicate antiquarian touch is so important, the use of gloves can do more harm than good, since they add an extra layer of material between the finger and the page. The whole "experts using gloves" thing was started in the 20th century to assert a false sense of academic authority. I should know: I'm an academic. :P