The Betä ?sra?el (Ethiopian Jews) have a unique history and religious
tradition, one of the most fascinating aspects of which are the
mäloksocc, commonly referred to as monks in scholarly and popular
literature. The mäloksocc served as the supreme religious leaders of
the Betä ?sra?el and were charged with educating and initiating Betä
?sra?el priests. They lived in separate compounds and observed severe
purity laws prohibiting physical contact with the laity. Thus, they are
the only known example in medieval and modern Jewry of ascetic
communities withdrawing from the secular world and devoting themselves
fully to religious life.
This book presents the results of the first comprehensive research ever
conducted on the way of life and material culture of the ascetic
religious communities of the Betä ?sra?el. A major part of this research
is an archaeological survey, during which these religious centres were
located and documented in detail for the first time.