Re: Quite TAN but contemporary and possibly interesting --- Aksum

> There is a rumour that the original Ark of the Covenant is at
> Aksum, in the church of Our Lady Mary of Zion.

A tradition, to be exact.

Ethiopians also have a book called Kebra Nagast, "The Glory of the Kings".

https :// https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=3Dwww.sacred-=
texts.com%2Fchr%2Fkn%2Findex.htm&data=3D02%7C01%7CCLASSICS-L%40lsv.uky.=
edu%7C6c45f21a23464d28375c08d78085c2f7%7C2b30530b69b64457b818481cb53d42ae%7=
C0%7C0%7C637119184297181078&sdata=3DaXvCXC4hENCvkIfuF2GW9vpIf%2By%2BrIw=
QkaVCCHOAPrw%3D&reserved=3D0

https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.sac=
red-texts.com%2Fchr%2Fkn%2Findex.htm&data=3D02%7C01%7CCLASSICS-L%40lsv.=
uky.edu%7C6c45f21a23464d28375c08d78085c2f7%7C2b30530b69b64457b818481cb53d42=
ae%7C0%7C0%7C637119184297181078&sdata=3DWUXYzU%2FZ02Iy8RdWlrLz%2FEidk26=
%2FlwTa78mr%2BnETFG4%3D&reserved=3D0

It starts with the story of Qeen of Sheba, and her alleged visit to King=20
Solomon. They are said to have had a son together, who became the=20
founder of Ethiopia's royal line.

In their book "The Jewish myths", Robert 'ah-not-him-again' Graves and=20
Rafael Patai mention the Ethiopian custom on how two people make a pact.=20
They must sacrifice an animal, a sheep probably, then split it in two=20
halves lengthwise. This resembles an episode in the Old Testament, when=20
God instructs Abraham to cut some animals in two halves, and then God=20
passes between them in the form of fire. So, there seem to be very=20
ancient cultural relations between Ethiopia and the Jewish tradition.=20
The Arc being in Ethiopia should probably be seen in this light.

In Acts 8 there is the story of an Ethiopian man who was baptized by=20
Apostol Phillip. This seems like a historical indication for the strong=20
Greek and Christian influence on Ethiopia, that followed in later=20
centuries through the city of =CE=91=CE=BE=CF=8E=CE=BC=CE=B7, Aksum.

When Islam expanded to North Africa, relations with Ethiopia were cut=20
and stopped. To the knowledge of the Europeans, most black people were=20
Muslims, Jews or pagans. So, the memory of Aksum gave rise to the=20
medieval legend of Prester John, who was said to be black and also a=20
Christian ruler.

Making pacts and agreements by cutting seems to survive also in our=20
Cyprian dialect. The way to say "I give my word", is to say litterary "I=20
am cutting a word to you".

As I am writing this, I recall the ancient Greek method for an=20
agreement: cutting a stick or a coin in two, then each part taking a=20
piece. This gave us the word =CF=83=CF=8D=CE=BC=CE=B2=CE=BF=CE=BB=CE=BF=CE=
=BD, symbolon, also =CF=83=CF=85=CE=BC=CE=B2=CF=8C=CE=BB=CE=B1=CE=B9=CE=BF=
=CE=BD,=20
symbolaion.



_____________________
Lampros F. Kallenos
Idalion, Lefkosia
Kypros
-.