During August we received material from the following projects:

EAP276: Documentation and preservation of Ambon manuscripts

The EAP276 project aims to conduct a survey of privately-held manuscripts in the Ambon archipelago, particularly in the areas of the former kingdoms Kaitetu, Hitu, Hila, Laha, Banda, Halmahera and Seram. According to sources more than 200 manuscripts have been found in private collections around the Ambon archipelago, most of which are in a poor condition due to the effects of Ambon's tropical climate on the materials. Manuscripts which are located will be digitised (with the permission of their owners), and copies will be deposited with the National Library and University of Indonesia. 

 

EAP279: A rescue programme for the Matsieng Royal Archives, Lesotho

The royal family of Lesotho has been based in Matsieng since the 1858 war, when Matsieng was established by the second Lesotho King, Mohato (Letsie I). Since then Matsieng has been a hub for Basotho kingship and chieftainship, and a centre for administration, resulting in a large accumulation of documents of cultural, political, legal and economic significance.

 

The archives were kept in basic storage conditions at the Royal residence, and their condition deteriorated in December 2007 when the roof of the storage building collapsed. The University Archive arranged for an 'emergency repatriation' of the materials, and carried out conservation and preservation work in order to stabilise the collection. The EAP project team hope to digitise the materials where possible; it is estimated that 20% of the collection is too damaged to digitise. Additional funding sources will be sought to catalogue the material, and provide for its long term preservation.

EAP336: Preserving the lay bet andemta: the Ethiopian intellectual legacy on the verge of extinction

Project EAP336 has been discussed in detail before in our April Accessions and Easter Story posts.

 

Alex