The CaNaMEI Project: Rediscovering Ancient Ethiopian Manuscripts in Italian Libraries

The CaNaMEI Project (Catalogo Nazionale dei Manoscritti Etiopici in Italia) is a research initiative launched in 2019 by the University of Naples L’Orientale and supported by several academic institutions. Directed by Prof. Gianfrancesco Lusini and a team of scholars, the project focuses on Ethiopic and Amharic manuscripts preserved in Italian public and private collections, particularly those that remain understudied. Its main goal is to document, digitize, catalogue, and promote Ethiopia’s manuscript heritage in Italy. CaNaMEI emphasizes both textual and material aspects of the manuscripts, producing various outputs such as printed catalogues, scholarly reports, and an open-access online database with descriptions and digital images. The project also supports manuscript preservation through restoration efforts. Operating on three levels, CaNaMEI combines traditional academic research, digital humanities methodologies, and public engagement activities. It situates Ethiopian manuscript studies within broader Late Antique, Byzantine, and Eastern Christian contexts, while promoting accessibility, education, and cultural dissemination through conferences, workshops, and other outreach initiatives.