The Role of Ge'ez in Shaping Ethiopian Intellectual Traditions: Contributions to Science, Medicine, Astronomy, Religion, Culture, and Mathematical Thought

Article Sidebar

PDF
Published: Sep 30, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33258/lakhomi.v6i3.1394
Keywords:
Ge'ez language, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, manuscript preservation, African intellectual history, cultural heritage.

Main Article Content

Belay Sitotaw Goshu
Department of Physics, Dire Dawa University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
Muhammad Ridwan
Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara, Indonesia

Abstract

Ge'ez, one of the world’s oldest written languages, has shaped Ethiopia’s intellectual heritage since the Aksumite Kingdom, serving as the liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and a medium for preserving knowledge across disciplines (Ullendorff, 1968). This study investigates Ge'ez’s contributions to science, traditional medicine, astronomy, religion, culture, and mathematical thought, emphasizing its role in Ethiopia’s development. Qualitative content analysis was conducted on 65 Ge'ez manuscripts from the Institute of Ethiopian Studies and digitized collections, supplemented by 12 semi-structured interviews with clergy and scholars. Thematic analysis identified Ge'ez’s impact across disciplines. Ge'ez preserved philosophical treatises, medical remedies, astronomical calculations, and religious texts, including the unique Ge'ez Bible. It facilitated cultural preservation through illuminated manuscripts and supported practical mathematics. Challenges included limited manuscript access and translation barriers. Ge'ez was instrumental in sustaining Ethiopia’s intellectual and cultural traditions, particularly within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, positioning it as a vital component of African scholarship. Establish Ge'ez research centers, digitize manuscripts, integrate Ge'ez into curricula, and promote its global recognition through UNESCO and cultural programs.

Article Details

How to Cite
Goshu, B. S., & Muhammad Ridwan. (2025). The Role of Ge’ez in Shaping Ethiopian Intellectual Traditions: Contributions to Science, Medicine, Astronomy, Religion, Culture, and Mathematical Thought. Lakhomi Journal Scientific Journal of Culture, 6(3), 186-202. https://doi.org/10.33258/lakhomi.v6i3.1394
Issue
Vol 6 No 3 (2025): Lakhomi Journal : Scientific Journal of Culture, September
Section
Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.Penulis.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (Refer to The Effect of Open Access).

References

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Delamarter, S., & Demeke, G. (2010). Ethiopian manuscript imaging project: Digitizing the manuscript heritage of Ethiopia. Journal of Ethiopian Studies, 43, 1–15.
Goshu, B.S. M. Ridwan, (2024), Stars, Seasons, and Spirituality: The Astronomical Roots of Ethiopian New Year Celebrations, Britain International of Exact Sciences (BIoEx) Journal 6 (3), 169-202
Goshu, B.S., M. Ridwan, (2024a), Naming the Days: The Influence of Ancient Astronomy on Modern Religious and Cultural Practices, LingLit Journal Scientific Journal for Linguistics and Literature 5 (3), 115-141
Goshu, B.S., Y.M. Abdi, (2023), The Ethiopian Calendar's Unusual Calculations and Comparison: Deciphering Its Exceptionality, IJRAMR, 11(2), 9550-9556
Heldman, M. (1993). African Zion: The sacred art of Ethiopia. Yale University Press.
Isaac, E. (1983).
Hsieh, H.-F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277–1288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732305276687
Isaac, E. (1983). The Ethiopian Orthodox Täwahïdo Church and its contribution to Ethiopian literature. Journal of Ethiopian Studies, 16, 1–15.
Pankhurst, R. (1998). The Ethiopians: A history. Blackwell Publishers.
Sergew, H. S. (1972). Ancient and medieval Ethiopian history to 1270. United Printers.
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Sumner, C. (1985). Ethiopian philosophy: The treatise of Zär’a Ya’eqob and of Wäldä Heywat. Commercial Printing Press.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Täwahïdo Church and its contribution to Ethiopian literature. Journal of Ethiopian Studies, 16, 1–15.
Ullendorff, E. (1968). Ethiopia and the Bible. Oxford University Press.