| |
Ethiopia’s earliest
history is rooted farther north. The ancient town of Axum , which
was one of the very first capitals of Semitic culture in northern
Ethiopia, was founded about 1000BC and is the first stage in
Ethiopia’s famous ‘historic Route’ . The earliest capital was
actually at nearby Yeha. The Axumite Kingdom was known as ‘the most
powerful state between the roman empire and Persia’. Much earlier
records show that the Egyptians knew the area to lie somewhere south
in ‘the land of Punt’ also known as ‘the Land of the Gods’, and,
from around 3000 BC they had obtained gold, ivory, fragrant woods
and slaves from there. Later, Egyptian ships sailing to India and
back called at the Red Sea Port of Adulis, which served as Axum’s
main outlet to the sea, just south of modern Massawa. Axum went into
decline between the 7th and 8th centuries AD, when power moved south
to another remarkable site- Roha, later named after its inspired
ruler, king Lalibela. The project he supervised 800years ago-eleven
remarkable churches, hand-carved out of the living bedrock some 250
kilometers south east of Axum- remains today for all to see.
Described as ‘a creating of angels’, however, the very advanced
architecture technology used suggests these churches were built by
more earthly beings.
Gonder is 50 km north of
Lake Tana, 500 kilometers north of Addis Ababa and situated in the
foot hills of Simien mountains at 2,200 meters above sea level .Gonder
was the capital of Ethiopia from the rise of Fasiladas (1632 -1667)
to the fall of Tewodros (1855-68) , which is reflected in the many
castles and palaces in the city. During the long years when it was a
capital the settlement emerged as one of the largest, and most
populous, city in the realm. It was great commercial centre trading
with the rich lands south of the Blue Nile, as well as with Sudan to
the west inhabitants include many rich Catholic and Muslim merchants
as well as a number of Falashas or Judaic Ethiopians also know as
Bet Israel’ who were predominantly weavers, black smiths and potters
as well as palace and church builders.
Over the centuries the
country has had many capitals, from Yeha, Axum, Lalibela, Gondor and
long periods of encampments. It was some centuries before the
present capital Addis Abeba was found in late 19th century by
Menelik the second. At an altitude of 2500 meters (8000ft) , Addis
Ababa is the third highest capital city in the world, after La Paz
and Quito in South America. It stands more or less at the centre of
this vast sprawling country with its many contrasting landscapes.
Ethiopia’s historic route
does not end at Addis Ababa. Some 500 km to the east of the capita,
perched at the end of a spur projecting from the central plateau,
lays the old walled city of Harar dating back to medieval times, a
city redolent of the Middle Eastern world. Its history has been
almost as violent and bloody as that of the north, but there the
centuries have been marked by wars between rival Muslim factions and
against the Christian Orthodox church. Five massive gates in the
walls of the city centre stand testimony to the need for strong
defense against past invaders. It was long the custom for the gate
keys to be kept overnight only by the city’s commander.
|
|
History