American Collector Returns Ancient Prayer Book to Ethiopia

June 3, 2010 – A century-old Ethiopian prayer book stolen decades ago was returned to the African nation late Wednesday after the American collector who held it agreed to the restitution, reports AFP.

The precious relic is a psalter written in the liturgical Geez language and illuminated with bright and colourful pictures of saints that belonged to Emperor Menelik, who ruled the country from 1889 to 1913.

Experts say it disappeared three decades ago and was only located recently by Steve Delamarter, a visiting American scholar who made contact with several collectors of Ethiopian items in the United States.

"Gerald Weiner is the largest collector of Ethiopian antiquities in north America. I went to him and said they belonged to Ethiopia," said Steve Delamarter, professor of Old Testament at US-based George Fox University.

"To my surprise, he thought it was a good idea and decided to act in good will," he said, before handing the relic to Addis Ababa University officials at a ceremony late Wednesday.

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