June 09, 2011
German archaeologists working in the Ethiopian highlands of East Africa have identified the remains of settlements from the first millennium B.C.E. that had strong cultural and religious connections with the Biblical land of Sheba (modern Yemen). Recent excavations and surveys have focused on the ancient town of Yeha, believed to be one of the major centers of the Diamat kingdom that flourished around 700 B.C.E.
Since 2008, archaeologists excavating at Yeha and surrounding sites have uncovered buildings, burials and pottery that indicate cultural connections with the Sabean culture of ancient Yemen. Among the discoveries was a perfectly preserved sacrificial altar adorned with a Sabean royal inscription. In the coming years, researchers hope to uncover additional clues about the ethnic, cultural and linguistic makeup of the East African kingdom of Diamat.
Read the full article in Past Horizons.
The 2008 discovery by Ethiopians archaeologists of the sacrificial altar was made in Meqaber Ga’ewa, a previously unknown location near the city of Wuqro. The altar bore a remarkable royal inscription in Old South Arabian (Dedanite) bearing the name Yeha.
According to Kebede Amare, head of the Tigray Cultural Department, this is the southernmost find believed to belong to the Diamat Kingdom. Located in present day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia, the civilization had sophisticated irrigation plans, made use of plows, grew millet and made iron tools and weapons.
Read more here.
Related reading: Who Were The Kushites?; The Afro-Arabian Dedanites
German archaeologists working in the Ethiopian highlands of East Africa have identified the remains of settlements from the first millennium B.C.E. that had strong cultural and religious connections with the Biblical land of Sheba (modern Yemen). Recent excavations and surveys have focused on the ancient town of Yeha, believed to be one of the major centers of the Diamat kingdom that flourished around 700 B.C.E.
Since 2008, archaeologists excavating at Yeha and surrounding sites have uncovered buildings, burials and pottery that indicate cultural connections with the Sabean culture of ancient Yemen. Among the discoveries was a perfectly preserved sacrificial altar adorned with a Sabean royal inscription. In the coming years, researchers hope to uncover additional clues about the ethnic, cultural and linguistic makeup of the East African kingdom of Diamat.
Read the full article in Past Horizons.
The 2008 discovery by Ethiopians archaeologists of the sacrificial altar was made in Meqaber Ga’ewa, a previously unknown location near the city of Wuqro. The altar bore a remarkable royal inscription in Old South Arabian (Dedanite) bearing the name Yeha.
According to Kebede Amare, head of the Tigray Cultural Department, this is the southernmost find believed to belong to the Diamat Kingdom. Located in present day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia, the civilization had sophisticated irrigation plans, made use of plows, grew millet and made iron tools and weapons.
Read more here.
Related reading: Who Were The Kushites?; The Afro-Arabian Dedanites
2 comments:
Why can't we call it BC & AD anymore? What genius came up with BCE & CE?
I use BC and AD, but I'm not concerned about offending Jews and Muslims.
It will be interesting to see whether my publisher requires me to change to the PC form.
Post a Comment