Painting on parchment depicting Saint Galawdowos on horseback slaying the Saba'adat, a creature with the head of a man, body of a lion and a forked tail in the form of two snakes. The saint is shown riding a pale brown horse with elaborate saddlecloth and distinctive Ethiopian toe stirrup.
This painting is typical of the iconography of Saint Galawdowos. He is usually depicted as an equestrian saint on a buff or light brown horse slaying the Saba'adat. This mythical creature, the embodiment of evil, has the head of a man, the body of a lion and a forked tail in the form of two hissing snakes. It carries a small bow to shoot arrows at Saint Galawdowos. The saint has already fatally wounded the creature. Saint Galawdowos is known outside Ethiopia as Saint Claudius. He was a 3rd century soldier from Antioch martyred in Egypt for his Christian faith.
