Ethiopia is known for its visual arts, that quickly captivate the observer and take him to another world. This very distinctive art form has a long tradition and is closely linked to the turbulent history of the country. The painting – atypical for Black Africa – and the production of intricate arts and crafts have their roots in the old North African-Middle Eastern cultural region. Embedded in the country’s unbroken Christian tradition, they have survived until the present day. With a view to the two-thousand-year-old history of advanced civilisation, Ethiopia may be regarded as the only surviving, living and clearly visible “offshoot” of the old Mediterranean civilisation in Africa.