Ethiopian Itineraries circa 1400-1524: Including those Collected by Alessandro Zorzi at Venice in the Years 1519-24

270 Pages·11.961 MB·English

by  O.G.S. Crawford (editor)

ASHGATE EBOOK
Ethiopian Itineraries
circa 1400–1524
Including those Collected by Alessandro Zorzi
at Venice in the Years 1519–24
Edited by
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BY
HAKLUYT SOCIETY
ETHIOPIAN ITINERARIES
arm 1400-1524
SECOND SERIES
No, CIX
ISSUBD
HAKLUYT SOCIETY
PATRON:
H.R.H. THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, K.G., P.C., K.T., K.P.
COUNCIL AND OFFICERS, 1957
PRESIDENT
J. N. L. BAKER, Esq., M.A., B.Litt.
VICE-PRESIDENTS
Professor E. G. R. TAYLOR, D.Sc. JAMES A. WILLIAMSON, Esq., D.Lit.
SIR ALAN BURNS, G.C.M.G.
COUNCIL (WITH DATE OP ELECTION)
A. H. G. ALSTON, Esq. (i95<5)
Professor C. R. BOXER (1955)
G. R. CRONE, Esq., M.A. (1955)
E. S. DE BEER, Esq., Hon. D.Litt., F.S.A. (1956)
Sir MAURICE HOLMES, G.C.B., G.B.E. (1957)
Sir GILBERT LAITHWAITE, G.C.M.G., K.C.B., K.C.I.E., C.S.I. (1956)
Sir HARRY LUKE, K.C.M.G., D.Litt. (1954)
Commander R. D. MERRIMAN, R.I.N., D.S.C. (i957)
J. V. MILLS, Esq., M.A. (1956)
GEORGE P. B. NAISH, Esq. (1955)
WALTER OAKESHOTT, Esq., Hon. LL.D., F.S.A. (1954)
Professor D. B. QUINN (1957)
Lord RENNELL of ROOD, D.L., F.S.A. (1954)
Royal Geographical Society (General Sir JAMES MARSHALL-CORNWALL)
HELEN M. WALLIS, D.Phil. (1957)
Sir RICHARD WINSTEDT, K.B.E., C.M.G., F.B.A., DXitt., Hon. LL.D.
(1953)
TRUSTEES
J. N. L. BAKER, Esq., M.A., B.Litt. E. W. BOVILL, Esq., F.S.A.
TREASURER: F. B. MAGGS, Esq.
HON. SECRETARY
R. A. SKELTON, Esq., B.A., F.S.A., British Museum, London, W.C. i
HON. SECRETARIES FOR OVERSEAS
Australia: Professor R. M. CRAWFORD
Canada: Professor J. B. BIRD
New Zealand: C. R. H. TAYLOR, Esq., M.A.
South Africa: DOUGLAS VARLEY, Esq.
U.S.A.: W. M. WHITEHILL, Esq., Ph.D., F.S.A.
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A PAGE OF ZORZI S MANUSCRIPT
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ETHIOPIAN
ITINERARIES
circa 1400-1524
INCLUDING COLLECTED BY
ALSSSANDRO ZOUZI AT Y1NICE IN THE
1519-24
EDITED BY
O, G. S. CRAWFORD
QBJL, LITT, D,» P JIA.
CAMBRIDGE
Published for ike-Haktuyt Society
AT THE TJNIVIRSITY PRESS
1958
HAKLUYT SOCIBTT
195*
i» it At
CrutMey, University Printer)
FOREWORD
Some explanation of the origins of the present publication seems
desirable. When I was writing my history of the Fung Kingdom
of Sennar (Bellows, 1951) I searched the ancient records of
Ethiopia (so far as they were available in translations) for any
references there might be to that kingdom. Though some were
found the results were hardly commensurate with the labour
involved; but as so often happens in research a new interest was
aroused, particularly in the historical geography of Ethiopia.
In the course of my studies I came across the Itineraries here
published and began to try to identify the routes followed.
The Zorzi Itineraries seemed particularly important because of
the abundance of place-names given. Though published in
1943 by that great Ethiopic scholar Conti Rossini, it appeared,
from a comparison with photostats of the manuscript in
Florence, that his transcript contained many errors, partly due
to difficulties imposed by war conditions, as he himself says
(1943, p. 176, note). Zorzi's handwriting is not good but it is
consistent; and if circumstances had allowed Conti Rossini
would surely have removed these imperfections. We cor
responded and I am grateful to him for all the offprints he gave
me and for other help. But we did not discuss the subject of
these Itineraries.
The method adopted here has been to make a completely
fresh transcript from photostats; the text was then translated
into English by my colleague Ralegh Radford to whom I had
already supplied a rough draft. He also checked the transcript.
The Zorzi Itineraries are important because they give a
fairly detailed account of Ethiopian geography as it was before
the country was overrun in the sixteenth century by the armies
of Granh and by the Gallas. During those disastrous times
churches were burnt and villages destroyed. The Galla inva
sions were the more annihilating, for new names in another
language were given to some districts and places, and many of
Foreword
the old ones disappeared or lost their former importance.
Whole peoples fled before the invading hordes, and often took
their names with them (Damot, for instance).
It seemed therefore desirable to include two earlier Itineraries
as well (here called F and S), of about 1400 and 1482 respec
tively, so as to give a more complete picture of the pre-Granh,
pre-Galla geography. Both have already been published, but
the transcripts here printed have been made afresh from photo
stats, and a few minor errors put right. The earlier editors,
however, did not succeed in identifying the place-names
correctly. It will now at any rate be easier for others to study
them, for the places where they were previously published are
rather inaccessible.
It may be thought rash to write about the geography of a
country (Ethiopia) which one has never visited and whose
language one cannot understand. My excuse is that the interest
of the subject impelled me to do so, and after all there are now
much better maps of Ethiopia available than there were before.
I have made full use of them and of printed books and articles
in European languages. Many of the books and periodicals
required are difficult to consult except in large libraries; and
for this sort of work one needs to have them in one's own house
for some length of time, for constant consultation and re
ference. The services of the Royal Geographical Society, the
London Library and the National Central Library have been
used to the full, and I wish to thank the librarians for their help.
The Royal Geographical Society had the base-map specially
drawn on which those here published were compiled. I also
owe much to talks and correspondence with colleagues, par
ticularly to Messrs G. W. B. Huntingford and C. F. Becking-
ham, whose Records has been in constant use. They have most
kindly and generously helped in certain matters of identifica
tion, but I must accept final responsibility for the results, as here
printed. I wish also to thank Signor Enrico Cerulli for sending
me offprints of his publications, which have been freely used.
vi