The Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED) displays a sampling of its collection on agricultural harvesting, cultural and religious practices in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.
The Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division released recordings of the symposium, “Religious Practices, Transmission and Literacy in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia,” for online public viewing.
The Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division launched a story map, "Prayer Traditions in Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia: a Journey through the Library of Congress Collections."
The Library of Congress holds many research resources concerning Islam and the Hajj (pilgrimage), most of which is housed in the African and Middle Eastern Division.
The Library of Congress Cairo Office celebrates its 60th anniversary. This blogpost discusses its role in collection development for the Library as well as other academic libraries in the U.S.
This blogpost uses the Library of Congress’ resources to introduce Empress Taytu Betul, spouse of Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia, who occupies an important page in the history of Ethiopia. She is remembered for her towering contributions in time of war, such as in the Battle of Adwa, and in the process of modernizing the country. Empress Taytu follows the example of her titanic women ancestors such as the Candaces, the Queen of Sheba, Queen Yodit [Judith], to name a few, who provided a legacy of excellence to the womenfolk of today’s Ethiopia.
The Library of Congress' Hebraic Section recently acquired a Ketubah (Jewish marriage contract), handwritten in 1722 in Ancona, Italy. Because the Ketubah is displayed during the ceremony, the tradition evolved to decorate the Ketubah. This Italian Ketubah from 1722 shows how the decoration adds beauty and meaning to a dry legal document.
This blog uses the Library of Congress’s Ethiopian Collections to discuss Timkat, a Christian religious celebration instituted by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church beginning from about the 5th Century.
The Hebraic Section of the Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division acquired the Second Rabbinic Bible, the Hebrew Bible printed by Daniel Bomberg in Venice, 1525. This is the Bible which preserved for all time the ancient legacy of the Masorah, the great mass of rabbinic tradition that safeguarded the sacred Hebrew text through the millennia.
