AXUM OBELISKS, STELAE & MONUMENTS

AXUM OBELISKS, STELAE & MONUMENTS: WORLD HERITAGE SITE, the cultural center of Tigray, Ethiopia's oldest culture dating back 3000yrs with many monuments

Stelae of Axum, Ethiopia, "Obelisks"

The kingdom of Axum lasted from the first to the eighth centuries AD. Positioned at the crossroads of three continents, Africa, Arabia and the Mediterranean. is was the most powerful nation between the Roman empire and Persia and it was the first state to formerly adopt Christianity around 325 AD. It also briefly granted asylum to some of the early followers of Mohammed in the seventh century. Ruins of palaces, buildings and tombs cover a wide area in the Tigray Plateau, the most impressive being the Axum, Ethiopia stelae or obelisks at the stelae field of present day Axum. Several stelae date between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

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While other stelae fields are known, such as the Gudit stelae field, none equal the scale and majestic designs at this UNESCO world heritage site. In fact, stelae of Axum were carved mainly from a rock similar to granite and are very weather-resistant. The erection of stelae in the Axumite empire was a very old practice for marking graves and underground burial chambers, some of which can still be seen at the Axum Stelae Field.

The most famous stela is the Obelisk of Axum a 1,700-year-old, 24-metre-tall obelisk, which was take by the Italians in 1937 during the occupation and returned to Axum in 2005 and re-erected in 2008.

In fact, Axum, Ethiopia stelae field is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Axum museum has a great collection of historical artefacts and is well worth visiting.

Hospitality at the home of a local family.

Tsion Maryam Cathedral

The Tsion Maryam Cathedral is the holiest place of worship of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and in importance comparable to the Vatican to the Roman Catholic Church. Supposedly it is home to the the Ark of the Covenant. According to legend, the Ark was taken from the ancient city of Jerusalem by a man named Menelik who was thought to be the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. He is said to have brought it home to Ethiopia for safe keeping and stored it at Tana Cherkos monastery for 800 years - a claim supported by records preserved in the Ethiopian Royal Chronicles. Whether  it concerns an ancient replica or the real ark, we will never know, as only once a year, the high priest of the Cathedral may enter the sanctorum and he is the only person alive ever having seen the holy relic. It is very unlikely that the Ethiopian Church will allow a scientific analysis to take place very soon. And lets be fair. Why would we want to de-sacrifice such beautiful myth? The actual location of the Ark is the chapel adjacent to the cathedral.

Tsion Maryam Cathedral.

Chapel at Tsion Maryam Cathedral with the Arc of the Convenant

Emperor Kaleb's Palace

Recent restorations reveal some of the walls of Emperor Kaleb's palace, who abdicated in favor of his son Gebre Meskel around the year 550. More conspicuous is the tomb with two sarcophaguses, supposedly belonging to both emperors.

Mai Shum, Queen Sheba's swimming pool

Another interesting monument is Mai Shum, popularly referred to as Queen Sheba's swimming pool. While it is doubful that the reservoir has served as the swimming pool of the mythical Queen Sheba, there is little doubt that the reservoir has played in important role in the Axumite history. As with so many monuments in Ethiopia, it has been somewhat restored but poorly so. But maybe that is the charm of a country that has gone it's own way, and which is lacking the sophistication of western restoration standards.

Above: Emperor Kaleb's Palace.

   Queen Sheba's Pool or Mai Shum.

Entrance to Kaleb's and Gebre Meskel's tombs.

Kaleb's and Gebre Meskel's tombs.

Basket industry

Axum has a number of great local art shops that specialize in colorful baskets.