Historical Attractions

Adventure Tour

Yeha Temple (Ethiopia's first capital)

Yeha is situated in the northern mountainous section of Tigray Region. Although today this small settlement survives as a shanty town, it was once a site of great pre-Axumite civilization. Believed to be Ethiopia's first capital, Yeha was first uncovered in a complex archeological excavation around a courtyard at the beginning of the 20th C. The first settlers of this area, the Sabeans, were the founders of the Axumite kingdom. The temple of Yeha, with one side of its walls in ruin, is otherwise still intact and testifies to the advanced level of the people of those times. There is no trace of mortar being used to build the temple of which the inside of the walls was believed to have been paved with gold.

The archeological excavations made in 1909, 1947 and 1973 respectively, revealed that this beautiful temple was destroyed by fire. Treasures such as gold rings, golden lions, stone-engraved inscriptions written in Sabean, stone-carved animals like the Walya ibex (one of Ethiopia's endemic mammals), pottery works and others were uncovered. Some of these findings are displayed in the 4th- century church museum found in the same compound as the temple while others are displayed at the National Museum in Addis Ababa.

The twelve underground formations and four other very deep cave structures (which seem to lead to Yemen, Lalibela, Jerusalem and Axum), increase the area's importance in terms of both archeological research and tourism. Coin mintage, as a result of strong economic dominance, was another development at this time and helped the Axumites to develop trade. Gold, silver and bronze coins, which began to be minted around the 4th C., are still found exposed on the plains of Axum.

The introduction of Christianity in the early 4th C. AD was one of the greatest achievements of the Axumite rule. It was during the time of King Ezana in 337 AD that Christianity arrived in Axum. Since it was the king who was the first to convert, Christianity easily reached the people under his rule. Since then, Ethiopia has remained a strong Christian state. Axum reached its peak in terms of economic, political and social development in the fifth and sixth centuries. By then Christian Axumite kings were increasing their influence by expanding their territory across the Red Sea. The whole Horn of Africa, including Yemen, was incorporated under the Axumite Empire. It was at this time that Axum became known as one of the four great empires of the age. Then in the 7th Century, Islam was brought to Axum by Muslim followers who came in exile to escape from severe executions in the Middle East.

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