Enrico Cerulli
Encyclopedia
Enrico Cerulli was an Italian scholar of Somali
and Ethiopian studies
, a governor
and a diplomat
.
, Italy
in 1898. He wrote his doctoral thesis
at the University of Naples Federico II on the traditional law
of the Somali
Majeerteen
. At the same time, he studied Ethio-Semitic languages
under Francesco Gallina, and Arabic and Islamic studies
under Carlo Alfonso Nallino
and Giorgio Levi Della Vida
at the Regio Istituto Orientale (later Istituto Universitario Orientale, today Università di Napoli "L'Orientale"
).
Cerulli is also renowned for his studies on the Latin and Old French translation of the Arabic Kitab al-Miraj, a famous Muslim
book concerned with Muhammad
's ascension into Heaven
(known as the Mi'raj
), following his miraculous one-night journey from Mecca
to Jerusalem (the Isra). The book's Islamic depictions of Hell
are believed by some scholars, including Cerulli, to have been a major influence on Dante
's 14th century masterpiece, the Divine Comedy.
Between January 1939 and June 1940, Cerulli was Governor of Shewa and later of Harar, two provinces of Italian East Africa
. He also headed the political office for East Africa in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
.
The restored regime of Haile Selassie I approached the United Nations
in 1948 to have him tried for war crimes, along with nine others. However, the UN commission agreed to call him as a witness only. The Ethiopian government then dropped charges but barred him permanently from entering Ethiopia, notwithstanding his contributions to Ethiopian studies.
Later, from 1950 to 1954, Cerulli served as the Italian Ambassador to Iran
.
Finally he was named President of Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei in Rome
.
Somali Studies
Somali Studies is the scholarly term for research concerning Somalis and Somalia. It consists of several disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, linguistics, historiography and archaeology...
and Ethiopian studies
Ethiopian Studies
Ethiopian Studies refers to a multi-disciplinary academic cluster dedicated to research on Ethiopia within the cultural and historical context of the Horn of Africa. The classical concept of Ethiopian Studies, developed by European scholars, is based on disciplines like philology and linguistics,...
, a governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
and a diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
.
Biography
Cerulli was born in NaplesNaples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1898. He wrote his doctoral thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
at the University of Naples Federico II on the traditional law
Xeer
Xeer, pronounced , is the polycentric legal system of Somalia. Under this system, elders serve as judges and help mediate cases using precedents. It is a good example of how customary law works within a stateless society and is a fair approximation of what is thought of as natural law...
of the Somali
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
Majeerteen
Majeerteen
The Majeerteen is a Somali clan. Its members form a part of the Harti confederation of Darod sub-clans, and primarily inhabit the Puntland region in northeastern Somalia....
. At the same time, he studied Ethio-Semitic languages
Ethiopian Semitic languages
Ethiopian Semitic is a language group, which together with Old South Arabian forms the Western branch of the South Semitic languages. The languages are spoken in both Ethiopia and Eritrea...
under Francesco Gallina, and Arabic and Islamic studies
Islamic studies
In a Muslim context, Islamic studies can be an umbrella term for all virtually all of academia, both originally researched and as defined by the Islamization of knowledge...
under Carlo Alfonso Nallino
Carlo Alfonso Nallino
Carlo Alfonso Nallino was an Italian orientalist.-Biography:He was born in Turin, and studied literature in the University of Turin. At the age of 21 he published is first treatise on Arab geography and astronomy. This was followed by a work on Al-Battani which gained him international recognition...
and Giorgio Levi Della Vida
Giorgio Levi Della Vida
Giorgio Levi Della Vida was an Italian Jewish linguist whose expertise lay in Hebrew, Arabic, and other Semitic languages, as well as on the history and culture of the Near East.-Biography:...
at the Regio Istituto Orientale (later Istituto Universitario Orientale, today Università di Napoli "L'Orientale"
Naples Eastern University
The Naples Eastern University is a university located in Naples, Italy. It was founded in 1732 and is organized in 4 Faculties...
).
Cerulli is also renowned for his studies on the Latin and Old French translation of the Arabic Kitab al-Miraj, a famous Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
book concerned with Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
's ascension into Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
(known as the Mi'raj
Isra and Mi'raj
The Isra and Mi'raj , are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islamic tradition, the Islamic prophet Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621. It has been described as both a physical and spiritual journey...
), following his miraculous one-night journey from Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
to Jerusalem (the Isra). The book's Islamic depictions of Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
are believed by some scholars, including Cerulli, to have been a major influence on Dante
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
's 14th century masterpiece, the Divine Comedy.
Between January 1939 and June 1940, Cerulli was Governor of Shewa and later of Harar, two provinces of Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
. He also headed the political office for East Africa in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Italy)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the foreign ministry of the government of the Republic of Italy. It is also known as the Farnesina as a metonym from its headquarters, the Palazzo della Farnesina in Rome...
.
The restored regime of Haile Selassie I approached the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in 1948 to have him tried for war crimes, along with nine others. However, the UN commission agreed to call him as a witness only. The Ethiopian government then dropped charges but barred him permanently from entering Ethiopia, notwithstanding his contributions to Ethiopian studies.
Later, from 1950 to 1954, Cerulli served as the Italian Ambassador to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
Finally he was named President of Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Works
- 1922: Folk-literature of the Galla of Southern Abyssinia. Cambridge, MA.
- 1930-1933: Etiopia Occidentale (dallo Scioa alla frontiera del Sudan). Note del viaggio, 1927-1928. 2 Vols. Roma.
- 1931: Documenti arabi per la storia dell'Etiopia. Roma: G. Bardi.
- 1936: Studi etiopici. Vol. I: La lingua e la storia di Harar. Roma: Istituto per l'Oriente.
- 1936: Studi etiopici. Vol. II: La lingue e la storia dei Sidamo. Roma: Istituto per l'Oriente.
- 1938: Studi etiopici. Vol. III: Il linguaggio dei Giangerò ed alcune lingue Sidama dell'Omo (Basket, Ciara, Zaissè). Roma; Istituto per l'Oriente. [reprinted: 1963]
- 1943: Il Libro etiopico dei Miracoli di Maria e le sue fonti nelle letterature del Medio Evo latino. Roma.
- 1943-1947: Etiopi in Palestina: storia della comunità etiopica di Gerusalemme. 2 vols. Roma: Libreria dello Stato.
- 1949: Il 'Libro della Scala'Kitab al MirajThe Kitab al Miraj is a Muslim book concerned with Muhammad's ascension into Heaven , following his miraculous one-night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem...
e la questione delle fonti arabo-spagnole della Divina Commedia. Città del Vaticano. - 1951: Studi etiopici. Vol. IV: La lingua Caffina. Roma: Istituto per l'Oriente.
- 1956: (ed.) Atti di Krestos Samra. (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum OrientaliumCorpus Scriptorum Christianorum OrientaliumThe Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium is an important multilingual collection of Eastern Christian texts with over 600 volumes published since its foundation in 1903 by Louvain Catholic University in Belgium and The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C....
, 163-164; Scriptores Aetiopici, 33-34) Louvain. - 1957-1964: Somalia: scritti vari editi ed inediti. 3 vols.
- 1958: Storia della letteratura etiopica. Milano. [3rd. ed. 1968].
- 1958-1960: Scritti teologici etiopici dei secoli XVI-XVII. 2 vols. Città del Vaticano.
- 1959: (ed.) Atti di Giulio di Aqfahs. (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, 190-191; Scriptores Aetiopici, 37-38) Louvain.
- 1971: (with: Fabrizio A. Pennacchietti) Testi neo-aramaici dell’Iran settentrionale. Napoli : Istituto Universitario Orientale di Napoli.
- 1971: L'Islam di ieri e di oggi. Roma. Istituto per l'Oriente
External links
- Bertotti, Filippo. "Cerulli, Enrico", in: Encyclopaedia Iranica.