Gorgoryos

Abba Gorgoryos (; 1595–1658) was an ethnically Amhara Ethiopian priest and lexicographer of noble origin. He is famous for co-authoring encyclopedias with his friend and companion Hiob Ludolf in two Ethiopian languages, Amharic and Ge'ez, both written in Ge'ez script.

Life Abba Gorgoryos was born in Mekane Sellasie in Amhara Province. He was invited to Gotha in 1652 by Ludolf, who at the time was in the service of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha.

Abba Gorgoryos worked with Hiob Ludolf in co-authoring the earliest grammar of the Amharic language, as well as an Amharic-Latin dictionary, which became the first African language to be translated to Latin. Ludolf's book A History of Ethiopia was based in part on Abba Gorgoryos's conceptualization of Ethiopia and letters. Abba Gorgoryos also developed a Ge'ez lexicon.

On his return journey to Ethiopia in 1658, he died in a shipwreck off the Turkish city of İskenderun.