I enjoy photographing architectural details, so as I left the 13th century rock-hewn Church of Bet Abba Libanos in Lalibela, Ethiopia, I took a picture of the interesting hardware at the top of the main door.

What I didn't see until I processed the photo today were the flowers someone wedged under one of the straps holding the hinge pin in place.

Now, the flowers are attractive in their dry state, but I'd like to think they were a fresh nosegay when a visitor left them as a small and subtle gift to embellish one of the humblest parts of the church.

I cannot tell whether the straps are leather or metal. It seems inconceivable that leather would be strong enough to secure the wooden hinge pin to the top of the door. But there's something about the material's color and texture that suggests it's leather rather than metal. I'm probably letting myself be carried away by my imagination.

But the dried flowers are as real as the ancient church itself.

===================================================

In his Bradt Guide Ethiopia (November 2005, 4th Ed.), Phillip Briggs writes:

"According to the legends, Bet Abba Libanos was built overnight by Lalibela's wife Meskel Kebre, assisted by a group of angels."

"The church has been built around [sic] a cave in a vertical face, and although the roof is still connected to the original rock, the sides and back are separated from the rock by narrow tunnels."