{"slug":"LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","title":"Anti-slavery Protocol","author":"Anonymous","genre":"other","date":"","tradition":"ethiopic","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T00:59:10Z","cost_usd":0.002108},"source":{"registry_id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","work_id":"LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","edition":"betmas","language":"","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"},"stats":{"passages":3,"english_words":376,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":18,"commentary_kinds":6,"derived_notes":2,"ambiguities":6,"work_notes":5,"external_links":2,"timeline":6},"summary":{"work":"LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","abstract":"The Anti-slavery Protocol is an anonymous, undated Geʿez ecclesiastical text of a legalistic and prescriptive genre, surviving in a single manuscript witness (betmas edition). Its language and formulae suggest a late 19th- or early 20th-century origin, possibly as a local Ethiopian church response to British anti-slavery campaigns. The protocol lacks liturgical or canonical adoption, and its authority remains unclear. No translation or commentary accompanies the edition, obscuring legal nuances. The text mirrors European royal protocol, referencing Queen Victoria and Emperor John IV (Yohannes IV, r. 1872–1889), and mentions Rear Admiral Sir William Hewett and a ship name 'Dampsachi', likely a Geʿez transcription of an English or Indian name. The work reflects diplomatic pressure on Ethiopia to suppress the slave trade in the Red Sea region.","historical_context":"The protocol likely dates to the late 19th century, during the reign of Emperor John IV (Yohannes IV, 1872–1889), a period of intensified British anti-slavery campaigns in the Red Sea and East Africa. The text's opening formula, listing Victoria's titles before John's, mirrors European royal protocol and suggests a bilateral treaty structure. The Geʿez phrase 'chosen by God' adapts the English 'by the grace of God' for both monarchs, reflecting Ethiopian royal theology. Rear Admiral Sir William Hewett, who commanded the HMS *Dampsachi* (possibly a corruption of *Dampachi* or *Dampachi*), enforced the anti-slavery treaty. The sole witness, the betmas manuscript, has no known other Geʿez copies, and the text's circulation history is unknown. The protocol may represent a local ecclesiastical response to British diplomatic pressure, but its actual authority and adoption are unclear. No liturgical use or canonical recognition is recorded.","significance":"The Anti-slavery Protocol is a rare example of an Ethiopian ecclesiastical legal text addressing the slave trade, reflecting late 19th-century diplomatic and moral pressures. It illustrates the intersection of Ethiopian royal theology, European colonial influence, and local church responses. Its survival in a single manuscript highlights the fragility of such documents and the need for careful study of Geʿez legal and prescriptive literature.","timeline":[{"date":"1872–1889","event":"Reign of Emperor John IV (Yohannes IV) of Ethiopia, during which the protocol likely originated."},{"date":"1880s","event":"British anti-slavery campaigns in the Red Sea; possible context for the protocol's composition."},{"date":"Late 19th c.","event":"Probable date of the protocol based on language and legal formulae."},{"date":"Early 20th c.","event":"Alternative possible date; no external evidence confirms a narrower range."},{"date":"Undated","event":"The protocol itself bears no date; the sole manuscript witness is undated."},{"date":"Modern","event":"Publication of the betmas edition, the only known witness."}],"relations":[{"work":"Anti-slavery treaties between Britain and Ethiopia","relation":"Reflects diplomatic context and content","key":"wikipedia:Anti-slavery treaties","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Geʿez legal and prescriptive literature","relation":"Genre and register","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"British anti-slavery campaigns in the Red Sea","relation":"Historical context","key":"wikipedia:Red Sea slave trade","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Ethiopian royal theology","relation":"Theological adaptation of European protocol","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Manuscript tradition of Ethiopian ecclesiastical texts","relation":"Transmission and survival","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"Betmas edition of the protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","reason":"Sole known witness."},{"key":"ed:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"Edition of the protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","reason":"Primary source for study."}],"cautions":["The protocol is undated and anonymous; its dating to the late 19th or early 20th century is based on language and formulae, not external evidence.","The sole manuscript witness (betmas edition) has no known other copies; circulation history is unknown.","No liturgical use or canonical adoption is recorded; the protocol's authority is unclear.","The ship name 'Dampsachi' is uncertain; it may be a Geʿez transcription of an English or Indian name, possibly 'Dampachi' or 'Dampachi'.","The English draft translation may obscure legal nuances and conditional structures of the Geʿez original."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000544,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:22:40Z"},"checks":{"work":"LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":3,"translated":3,"commentary_passages":3,"commentary_units":18,"english_words":376,"source_letters":1019,"commentary_kinds":6},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The text is a formal ecclesiastical protocol, not a narrative or homily. Its register is legalistic and prescriptive, with repeated conditional clauses and prohibitions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The sole known witness is the manuscript underlying the betmas edition. No other Geʿez copies are recorded, and the text’s circulation history is unknown.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"source edition: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The protocol is undated and anonymous. Its language and legal formulae suggest a late 19th- or early 20th-century origin, but no external evidence confirms this.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"No record of liturgical use or canonical adoption exists. The protocol may represent a local ecclesiastical response to anti-slavery campaigns, but its actual authority is unclear.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"source edition: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition provides no translation or commentary. Readers without Geʿez must rely on the English draft, which may obscure legal nuances and conditional structures.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in Geʿez; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 3 narrative."},{"kind":"caution","severity":"caution","text":"2 passage(s) are fragmentary in the source; the English bridges each break and says so in the note."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: betmas — CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":3},"term_index":[],"citations":{"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol":{"label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"},"ed:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol":{"label":"source edition: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ቢክቶርያ፡ በጸጋ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡\nየታላቋ፡ ብርታንያና፡\nየአይርለንድ፡\nንግሥት፡ የ\nህንደኬ፡ ቂሳርይት፡\nሥዩመ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡\nዮሐንስ፡\nንጉሠ፡ ጽዮን፡\nንጉሠ፡ ነገሥት፡\nዘ\nኢትዮጵያ፡ ወኵሉ፡ አድያሚሃ፡\n\nበ እንግሊዝ፡ ቤተ፡ መንግሥትና፡ በ ኢትዮጵያ፡\nቤተ፡ መንግሥት፡ የባሪያ፡ ንግድ፡ እንዲቀር፡ ባሪያ፡ እንዳይሼጥ፡ በፈቃዳችን፡ ተዋደን፡\nውል፡ አድርገናል፡ ለዘለዓለም፡ በ ኢትዮጵያ ና፡ በ እንግሊዝ፡ መንግሥት፡ ለነገሠ፡ ይህን፡ ነገር፡ ሊጨርስ፡ የመጣ፡ ምስለኔአችን፡\nሪየር፡ አድሚራል፡ ሰር፡ ውሌም፡ ሕወት፡\nየ ህንደኬ፡ ጦር፡ መርከብ፡ ደምሳሺ፡ ነው፡ ከታላቋ፡ ብርታንያና፡\nከ የአይርለንድ፡\nንግሥት፡ የ ህንደኬ፡\nቂሳርይት፡ የተላከ፡ መቅድም፡\n\n[፩]\nጃንሆይ፡\nበግዛትዎ፡ ባሪያ፡ እንዳይሼጥ፡ እንዳይለወጥ፡ ሊከለክሉ፡\n[፪]\nጃንሆይ፡\nንጉሠ፡ ነገሥት፡\n\nዘ ኢትዮጵያ፡ ባሪያ፡ ከሌላ፡ አገርም፡\nመጥቶ፡ ካገ[ር]ዎ፡ ከግዛ[ት]ዎም፡ እንዳይሼጥ፡ እንዳይለወጥ፡ ወደ፡ ሌላ፡ አገርም፡ ወጥቶም፡ እንዳይሼጥ፡ ይህን፡ ወደው፡ ውል፡ አድርገናል\n[፫]\nጃንሆይ፡\nንጉሠ፡ ነገሥት፡","english":"Victoria, by the grace of God, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, and John, chosen by God, King of Zion, King of Kings of Ethiopia and of all his dominions.\n\nIn the English Parliament and the Ethiopian Parliament, we have agreed and made a treaty that the slave trade shall cease and that slaves shall not be sold, by our will, forever. In Ethiopia and in the English government, for the king who came to accomplish this matter, our representative, Rear Admiral Sir William Hewett, of the Indian military ship *Dampsachi*, is sent from the great Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India. Preamble.\n\n[1] Your Majesty, to prohibit the sale and exchange of slaves within your dominion.\n\n[2] Your Majesty, King of Kings of Ethiopia, we have agreed and made this treaty that a slave coming from another country shall not be sold or exchanged within your country or dominion, nor shall a slave going out to another country be sold or exchanged.\n\n[3] Your Majesty, King of Kings.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ቢክቶርያ፡ በጸጋ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡","severity":"info","text":"The opening formula mirrors European royal protocol, listing Victoria's titles before John's, establishing a bilateral treaty structure.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ሥዩመ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez phrase 'chosen by God' translates the English 'by the grace of God' for Victoria, but is applied to John IV, reflecting Ethiopian royal theology.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ሪየር፡ አድሚራል፡ ሰር፡ ውሌም፡ ሕወት፡","severity":"info","text":"Rear Admiral Sir William Hewett commanded the HMS *Dampsachi* (likely a corruption of *Dampachi* or *Dampachi*), enforcing the anti-slavery treaty.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"ዮሐንስ፡","severity":"info","text":"John IV (Yohannes IV) reigned 1872–1889; this treaty likely dates to the 1880s, during British anti-slavery campaigns in the Red Sea.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ባሪያ፡ ንግድ፡","severity":"info","text":"The treaty reflects British pressure on Ethiopia to suppress the slave trade, a key diplomatic issue in the late 19th century.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ደምሳሺ፡","severity":"caution","text":"The ship name 'Dampsachi' is uncertain; it may be a Geʿez transcription of an English or Indian name, possibly 'Dampachi' or 'Dampachi'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The ship name 'Dampsachi' is unclear; the Geʿez may mis-transcribe an English or Indian vessel name.","The treaty's exact date is not given; it is inferred from John IV's reign and British anti-slavery efforts."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ዘ ኢትዮጵያ፡ ነጣ፡ የወጣ፡ ባሪያ፡ ወደ፡ ባርነት፡ እመልሰዋለሁ፡ ብሎ ፡ የያዘው፡ እንደሆን፡ በብርቱ፡ ቅጣት፡ ሊቀጣ፡ ፈቅደዋል፡\n[፬] የ ብርታንያና፡\n\nንግሥት፡\nከሌሎች፡ ነገሥታት፡ ጋራ፡ ሁሉ፡ ባርያ፡ እንዳይሼጥ፡ ቀድሞ፡ ውል፡ አድርጋለች፡ ስለዚህ፡ በባሕር፡ ያሉ፡ ሹማምቶችዋን፡ ጠብቁ፡ ብላ፡ አዛለች፡ በመርከብ፡ ሲሄድ፡ ባርያ፡ ቢያገኙ፡ እንዲይዙ፡\nደግሞ፡ በመርከብ፡ ላይ፡ የሀበሻ፡ ሰው፡ ባርያ፡ ተብሎ፡ ቢያዝ፡ ወደ፡\nንጉሠ፡ ነገሥት፡\n\nወደ፡ አገሩ፡ ይመለስ፡ ብላ፡ ንግሥት፡ አዛለች\n[፭] ይህ፡ የእርቅ፡ ውል፡ ቶሎ፡ ብሎ፡ ታትሞ፡ አድዋ፡ ድረስ፡ ይመጣል፡ ደግሞ፡ ስለ፡ ምስክርነት፡\nሪየር፡ አድሚራል፡ ሰር፡ ውሌም፡ ሕወት፡\nየ ብርታንያና፡\nየአይርለንድ፡ ንግሥት፡\nየ ህንደኬ፡ ቂሳርይት፡ ምስለኔና፡\nሥዩመ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ዮሐንስ፡\nንጉሠ፡ ጽዮን፡\nንጉሠ፡ ነገሥት፡\nዘ\nኢትዮጵያ፡ ለዚህ፡ ውል፡ ሁለቱም፡ በገዛ፡ እጃቼው፡ ማኅተማቼውን፡ አትመዋል፡","english":"Parliament, and the Ethiopian, have decreed that if anyone captures a slave who has escaped from Ethiopia and says, \"I will return him to slavery,\" he shall be severely punished. [4] The Queen of Britain, together with other kings, has previously made a treaty that no slave shall be sold. For this reason, she has commanded her officials at sea to be vigilant and, when traveling by ship, if they find slaves, to seize them. Moreover, she has ordered that if a Habesha person is taken as a slave on a ship, he shall be returned to the King of Kings and to his country. [5] This treaty will be printed quickly and will come as far as Adwa. Furthermore, concerning the testimony, Rear Admiral Sir William Hewett, the Queen of Britain and Ireland, the Empress of India, with me, John, chosen by God, King of Zion, King of Kings of Ethiopia, both will affix their seals to this treaty with their own hands.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The treaty referenced is the Anglo-Ethiopian anti-slavery agreement of 1884, negotiated by Rear Admiral Sir William Hewett, whose name appears in the Geʿez as ሪየር አድሚራል ሰር ውሌም ሕወት.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሕወት","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez spelling ሕወት represents 'Hewett', a transliteration of the English surname, reflecting the diplomatic context.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is divided into two numbered sections: [፬] details British enforcement measures against the slave trade, and [፭] describes the treaty's printing and sealing by both sovereigns.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The treaty is described as being printed quickly and reaching Adwa, indicating a specific historical moment in the late 19th century when the agreement was being implemented.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez text presents the treaty as a bilateral commitment, with both the British Queen and the Ethiopian King of Kings affixing seals, emphasizing mutual authority.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez phrase ዘ ኢትዮጵያ (za ʾItyop̣p̣ya) at the start of the passage is ambiguous: it may mean 'of Ethiopia' or be a scribal error for a longer title; the reading follows the English draft.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The opening phrase ዘ ኢትዮጵያ could be a truncated title or a possessive; the English draft interprets it as part of the decree context.","The exact identity of 'John, chosen by God, King of Zion, King of Kings of Ethiopia' is not further specified in the text, but historically refers to Emperor Yohannes IV."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ተጽሕፈ፡ በ አድዋ፡ ከተማ፡ አመ፡ ካልኡ፡ ለጁን፡ በ፲ወ፰፻፹ወ፬ ዓመተ፡\nምሕረት፡ በ እንግሊዝ፡ ቊጥር፡ በ፲ወ፰፻፸ወ፮፡ ዓመተ፡ ምሕረት፡ አመ፡ ፩ለሰኔ፡\nበ ኢትዮጵያ፡ ቊጥር፡","english":"Written in the city of Adwa, in the year of mercy 1894 [A.D. 1881/1882], according to the English count, in the year of mercy 1876 [A.D. 1883/1884], on the 1st of Senē, according to the Ethiopian count.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ተጽሕፈ","severity":"info","text":"This colophon-like closing formula records the place and date of writing, typical of Geʿez documentary texts.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"በ፲ወ፰፻፹ወ፬ ዓመተ ምሕረት","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez year 1894 of the Incarnation corresponds to A.D. 1881/1882. The English year 1876 of mercy corresponds to A.D. 1883/1884, indicating a discrepancy or dual dating system.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"አድዋ","severity":"info","text":"Adwa is a city in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, historically significant as the site of the 1896 Battle of Adwa.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሰኔ","severity":"info","text":"Senē is the tenth month of the Geʿez calendar, roughly corresponding to June–July in the Gregorian calendar.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"በ እንግሊዝ ቊጥር","severity":"info","text":"The reference to an English count suggests the protocol was drafted with awareness of European dating conventions, likely for diplomatic or legal purposes.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"source edition: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"በ፲ወ፰፻፸ወ፮ ዓመተ ምሕረት","severity":"caution","text":"The English year 1876 of mercy is given as A.D. 1883/1884, but the Geʿez year 1894 is A.D. 1881/1882. The two dates do not align, possibly due to scribal error or different calendar conventions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol","label":"betmas: Anti-slavery Protocol","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5065Antislaveryprotocol"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The dual dating (Geʿez 1894 vs. English 1876) is inconsistent; the intended year of writing is unclear.","The relationship of this colophon to the preceding narrative (p3) is not explicit; it may be a separate document appended."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}