A selection of illustrations which capture the Ethiopian landscape during 1867. Accompanied by explanatory texts, this volume documents an important part of East African history and the story of the colonial enterprise. Maps, colour and b/w illus, 96pp, USA. TSEHAI.

2003 0972317244 Paperback

A book of art firmly rooted in Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee. It was inspired by Joanna's visits to Ethiopia where she met the painter, Nebiyu Assefa, and visited Fairtrade Coffee Cooperatives in the mountains of Oromia. The book is the story of the collaboration between Nebiyu and Joanna. It contains a collection of their paintings, sketches, photographs and extracts from their correspondence, and touches on issues of poverty and justice, Fairtrade, co-operatives and Ethiopian culture. 80pp, UK. JOZART PRESS.

A complete survey dedicated to the artistry and variety of Ethiopian crosses discusses the evolution and common origins of the range of cross types, from the cross stamped on the Aksumite coins and those depicted in architecture to the illustrations in ancient illuminated codices and the designs forged for specific liturgical functions. 120 col & 80 b/w illus, 176pp, ITALY. SKIRA.

Photographic fruits of two years' travel south from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to the valley of the Omo River leading down to the border with Sudan, through the pastoralist lands of the Surma, the Gheleb, the Bume, the Erbore, the Bene, the Bodi, the Karo, the Hamar and the Mursi. The pictures, mainly of individuals and kinship groups, are posed and formal, concentrating on themes of family, community and the relationships that underpin them. However, the pastoral is deceptive: as the presence of weaponry in many portraits attests, there is an undercurrent of violence throughout, the insecurity of a people caught precariously between the possible erosion of their old life and the escalation of the new. 176pp, UK. JONATHAN CAPE.

A short study of Ethiopian bookmaking and methods of book production. Illustrated with colour images. Maps, bib, 20pp, UK. NEW CROSS BOOKS. 0954383516

Catalogue of the most extensive and representative collection of Ethiopian Christian panel paintings, which is held at the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at Addis Ababa University. The icons reflect diverse influences from eastern and western Europe, Coptic and Islamic cultures, and Africa. Includes detailed description of each of the paintings, an extensive introduction and chronological tables of the main themes in Ethiopian Art. Index, bib, gloss, 516pp, ITALY. SKIRA .

2000 8881186462 Hardback

A descriptive book illustrating the complexities, diversity and vibrancy of artistic practices among artists of Ethiopian descent. Four essays describe the current status of Ethiopian modern art and artist profiles describe the work of 10 contemporary artists including Julie Mehretu, Kebedech Tekleab, Alexander Boghossian, Wosene Kosrof and Mickael Bethe Selassie. Illustrated with colour plates. Notes, 128pp, USA. PHILIP WILSON PUBLISHERS, 0856675628

On the borders of Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan, the lower Omo Valley is a lost world. Far from any city and with a cruel climate, this land remains one of the wildest in Africa. This magnificently produced, two-volume publication is a superb chronicle of the Omo Valley's fast-vanishing and excruciatingly hard way of life, focusing on the fifteen or so ethnic groups who have lived there since time immemorial. Hans Silvester's photographs, as beautiful as they are fascinating, are accompanied by a text that documents the culture and daily life of the Omo tribes. 2 volumes presented in a slipcase: Volume I Customs and Ceremonies; Volume II Face and Body Decoration. 304pp, UK. THAMES & HUDSON.

Account of the author's quest to uncover the wealth of historical detail and symbolism contained in the artworks of 18 of Ethiopia's ancient churches. Detailed maps and diagrams of the churches by Bob Friedlander complement the many full colour photographs of these paintings. Foreword by Richard Pankhurst. Index, gloss, apps, 267pp, ETHIOPIA. SHAMA BOOKS.

A selection of papers delivered during the fifth Conference on the History of Ethiopian Art, in October 1999 focusing on the complexities of cultural and religious encounters between Orthodox Ethiopians and Catholic Europeans that took place during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Illustrated with 14 colour and 48 b/w illustrations and six maps. Index, bib, notes, xxx, 181pp, UK. ASHGATE.

Schooled in the fifteen-hundred-year-old painting tradition of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and ever sensitive to its narrative and iconographic requirements, Ethiopian artist Qes Adamu Tesfaw has managed to transcend the formulas that tradition requires him to embrace. By giving up the priesthood and turning to painting full-time, the artist has also found the freedom to venture outside the realm of religious subject matter to produce work that chronicles historical events both inside and outside Ethiopia, as well as scenes that depict the everyday life of his native country. His oeuvre includes saints on horseback, soldiers gathered in historic battles, Solomon and Sheba's courtship, and Ethiopians attending church or praying at mosques. 119pp, USA. WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY PRESS.

A short description of the work of Ethiopian scribes. Maps, 16pp, UK. NEW CROSS BOOKS.0954383508

A photographic introduction to Ethiopia describing aspects of its religions, architecture, natural world, and its people. 200pp, KENYA. CAMERAPIX, 187404189X