The humble "Birillé", a familiar glass flask used for Tej, a local honey beer, was elevated from a utilitarian object to a prism through which centuries of cultural, political, and social evolution were explored. An exhibit marked the culmination of three decades of research and collecting by historian Ian Campbell, whose work served as the exhibition’s scholarly backbone.

In a first-of-its-kind exhibition hosted last week at the Yi'mtubezina Museum & Cultural Centre, inside Unity Park at Arat Kilo, Campbell’s interest began with fieldwork, travelling to markets, and talking to traders, gradually building a private collection and a body of scholarship that has helped define what we know about the "Birillé" today. Through close attention to everyday artefacts, Campbell has revealed how objects once regarded as commonplace often hold deeper cultural and historical meanings.

For centuries, everyday objects have changed shape and meaning as society evolves, often in ways that surprise us. The "Birillé" is a remarkable example. Its short and wide-bowled body with a narrow neck may seem timeless, but its design has evolved over 700 years, shifting across generations and mirroring Ethiopia’s changing story.

The exhibition at the Centre traced this history, offering a rare look at how the "Birillé" has moved from royal courts to everyday life.

Campbell's research, published in studies and articles, underpins a broader effort to understand how the Birillé has shaped and been shaped by the communities that use it. His approach blends academic investigation with a deep respect for the lived reality of the people who make, trade, and use these vessels.

The Museum that hosted the exhibition is itself woven into Ethiopia’s history. The Centre is housed in the former residence of Yi'mtubezinash Habte, located near the Grand Palace in the area once known as Basha Wolde Chilot. Built in 1900 by Indian craftsmen, the building blends Ethiopian and Indian architectural styles. Its importance, however, goes beyond its structure.

The house is among the city’s iconic residences, helping to anchor Addis Abeba as Ethiopia’s permanent capital in the years following the Victory of Adwa. Even more unusually, the house was built by Yi'mtubezinash herself, making it one of only 10 heritage buildings in Ethiopia officially registered under a woman’s name. In a highly patriarchal era, this represents women’s agency and contribution to the city’s development.

Now in the hands of the family's fifth generation, the residence has been transformed into a museum and cultural centre, hosting exhibitions on a range of historical and social themes. Since its establishment in 2023, the Museum has organised 11 exhibitions, becoming a growing space for public engagement with Ethiopia’s past.

For some visitors, the exhibition experience was personal. It marked the start of a journey through the history of the Birillé and a house that has quietly watched over 125 years of Addis Abeba’s transformation.

The exhibition itself invites visitors to leave behind the noise of the modern world. As people moved through the rooms, the focus shifted from the anxieties of technology and automation to the creativity and skill of the glassmakers, traders, and users of Birillés over the centuries. The Birillé becomes a bridge, linking the present and the past and offering a moment to reflect on continuity and change.

The curator, Abel Assefa, who serves as director of the Yimtubezina Museum & Cultural Centre, depicted the process of organising an exhibition as a lengthy task. Organising an exhibition takes from a minimum of three months up to a maximum of one year and six months.

Abel studied heritage conservation at Mekelle University and did his postgraduate studies in archaeology and heritage management at Addis Abeba University. His interest in museums began in childhood, shaped by frequent trips with his father.