A Story in Stones
Portugal's Influence on Culture and Architecture
in the Highlands of Ethiopia 1493-1634
by J.J. Hespeler-Boultbee
Foreword by Richard Pankhurst
©2011 - Updated & Revised 2nd Edition
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This newly updated and revised second edition of A Story in Stones explores
the relationship between Portugal and Ethiopia during the XVI and XVII centuries from the unique perspective of
stonework. Through research and many years of working in the field, J.J. Hespeler-Boultbee examines the first early
Renaissance links between the principal European superpower of the day and the ancient Christian empire of Ethiopia’s
Highlands – using contemporary architectural vestige as a catalyst for his findings.
What began as Portugal’s mission to discover an unknown world soon became a quest to find Prester John, the
legendary Christian priest/king presumed to be living on the far side of Islam. In an attempt to form a Christian
military alliance, the search was both concluded and, in a manner, initiated by explorer Pêro da Covilhã in 1493 with
his overland journey to the Highland court of Emperor Eskendar. This was instrumental in setting up a string of ties
between the two nations – diplomatic, military, religious, cultural and (most long-lasting of all) architectural –
almost three decades before Portugal’s diplomatic mission of 1520.
The fascinating story contained in the stones can yet be seen in the Portuguese and “Gondarine” ruins that dot the
Gojjam and Lake Tana regions; they continue to influence today’s Highland architectural design. Hespeler-Boultbee
examines over thirty different sites, many of which are remote and rarely visited. Fully illustrated with colour photos
and drawings.
Reviews
"We are deeply indebted to Jeremy Hespeler-Boultbee... for his initiative in studying
Portuguese, Portuguese-Indian or Ethio-Portuguese buildings in Ethiopia, and thus opening an
entirely new field of Ethio-Portuguese studies."
- Richard Pankhurst, Institute of Ethiopian Studies, Addis Ababa University
About the Author
J.J. Hespeler-Boultbee is an Art & Architectural Historian and Associate of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies,
Addis Ababa University. He lived for twenty-five years in Portugal, during that time making several forays into the
Ethiopian Highlands on behalf of the Department of History and CIDEHUS (Centro de Investigação e Desenvolvimento em
Ciências Humanas e Sociais), the research and development institute at the University of Évora. For the two year
period, 2007-2009, he lived in and conducted research from Bahir Dar on Lake Tana, Ethiopia, during which time he
found his historical conclusions were at considerable variance with colleagues in the History Department at Bahir
Dar University – disagreements which have prompted the revisions leading to this current updated and revised edition
of A Story in Stones.
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A Story in Stones
Portugal's Influence on Culture and Architecture
in the Highlands of Ethiopia 1493-1634
Updated & Revised 2nd Edition
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