Why we need to study History of Architecture?

 To understand technological, sociological, aesthetic, and artistic influences which determine our built environment.
 To get an holistic knowledge about development of architectural language

 Helps understanding the inception and growth of towns and cities, and the influences that have shaped their urban
forms and their architecture;
 To study and understand the patterns and characteristics of human settlements and individual structures built
according to local traditions
 To Understand behavioral, social, and cultural factors in design.
 History of Ethiopia Architecture

Lecture 2. Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and It’s Architecture

Prepared by: Anteneh.z

Architect & Urban Designer
 Purpose of this Lecture
• Is to give a picture of the Ethiopian Pre-Aksumite civilization on the archaeological
evidence recently discovered at Yehä in Tigrai about 50 km to the East of Aksum
and to discuss the nature of the South Arabian influence on Northern Ethiopia both
in its historical and cultural meaning.
• Up to now the best description of the cultural development in Ethiopia in Pre-
Aksumite times has been given by Anfray (1964; 1967: 49-51; 1968: 355) who
under the label of "Pre-Aksumite Period" distinguishes an Ethiopian-Sabean Period
(500-300 B.C.) characterized by a deep Sabean influence and an Intermediate
Period (300 B.C. - 100 A.D.) with a less direct influence from Yemen and an internal
evolution towards Aksumite cultural patterns.
• The origins of the Ethiopian Pre-Aksumite civilization are also related to South
Arabian colonizers who settled on the Abyssinian plateau and mixed with the local
inhabitants introducing their culture and way of life.
5 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and It’s Architecture

 Human settlements emerged in river valley in India , Egypt , Mespotamia and China.

 The earliest villages in Ethiopia are discovered in Melka Kunture .

 Prehistoric “living floor” is discovered in 1969.

 In this prehistoric site different stone tools were also found.

 The earliest forms of art are visible around Dire-Dawa and Harar .

Lega Oda (35 km of Dire-Dawa Cave Paintings Porc-Epic Cave 

6 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
 Unlike cave paintings in the other places , prehistoric
paintings found in Ethiopia portray domestic animals.
 Domestication of cattle was introduced to Ethiopia
from Indian & Arab prehistoric societies.
 Later it spread to other parts of Africa .
 Prehistoric monoliths are also indicators of human
actvities.
 The largest and most representative collection of
stelae are located in Tiya.,
 Forty-six stelae were erected in the cemetery between
the tenth and fifteenth centuries B.C
 The stelae of Tiya have carvings representing swords
and various mysterious signs
 Erecting megalithic monuments is ancient tradition in
Ethiopia.

The stelae of Tiya

 7 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture

 Approximately 3,000 years ago farmers entered in the Ethiopian plateau and developed small markets.

 These plateau market centers are evolved into states probably before 1000 B.C.E.

 Remains at Gobedra ,an area near Aksum , gave evidences for the birthplace of earliest states..

 The origin of state societies in the Horn of Africa has been attributed to economic and political contacts
with ancient Egypt.
8 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture

The Evidences
 Pottery provides important information.

 Pottery is vital indicator of time in Archaeology

 In addition Palaeography-study of ancient writings- is important indicator in Archaeology

Gargoyles in aksum Mesum Sabaean Script

9 Pre-Aksumite Period
 The earliest known states in East Africa were Punt and Da’amat.
 Traditional Farming method may have been introduced from Egypt through Punt.

 Similarly wheat, barley, and ploughing may have been introduced from Egypt too.

 The emergence of Agriculture may be reason for the establishment of settlements.

 Also the first shelter is believed to be the product of Agriculture.

 The earliest dwelling in pre-Aksumite Ethiopia may used post and lintel construction.
 And it was similar to traditional flat topped houses of Tigray as Lindahl depicted.

 The chief material used was assumed to be clay brick.

10 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture

Pre-aksumite Period began in the 1st Millennium B.C is Characterized by

 nucleated settlements,

 complex stratified societies and kingdoms,

 monumental architecture, metal production, and writing)

11 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture

The Sabaean Influence (500 - 300 B.C approximately )

 Sabean kingdom is an Ancient kingdom founded in south Arabia (now Yemen)

 Founded by Sheba(Saba) the biblical figure whom visited King Solomon .

 In Islamic legend she is named as Bilqis

 In Ethiopia legends also known as Makeda

 Sabaeans were pre-christian societies influenced ancient Ethiopia civilizations including Aksum .
12 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture

The Sabaean Influence (500 - 300 B.C approximately )

 Historical and Archeological evidences suggest sabaean
people from South Arabia to northern Ethiopia
 Although there is no proof yet for their political role.

 The altars, inscriptions, stelae, temples, secular structures,

tombs and other material left by then Sabaean- influenced
Ethiopian population occur in considerable numbers even
from the few excavated sites. .
13 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture

Sabaean Influence (500 - 300 B.C approximately )

 Features such as dressed** stone building, writing and iron-
working may have been introduced by Sabaeans.
 However the Arabean influence was not consistent .
Evidences indicate there was influence from north .

The Sabaean Temple of Almaqah in Addi Akaweh (Tigray) is

recent discovery . The picture shows the incense burner.

Ibex
Sabaean Scripts
**Descriptive of stone which has been prepared, shaped, or finished by cutting, planing, rubbing, or sanding one or more of its faces.
14 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture

Sabaean Influence (500 - 300 B.C approximately )

 The Sabaean tablets for offerings ( a gift to gods) contain ornaments .

 These ornaments contain animal heads.

 Ibex was the sacred animal in Ethio-Sabean culture.

 Ibex was connected with the worship of ILMUQAH(chief god and protector of the Sabaeans)
15 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture

The Sabaean Influence (500 - 300 B.C approximately )

 The pagan* Sabaean religious symbol was by “the Disk and the Crescent".

 The Sabaean gods were also worshiped in Pre-Aksumite period

 Similar Archeological evidences from Yemen and North Ethiopia showed the parallel cultural
development .

“the Disk and the Crescent".

*Paganism consists beliefs and practices associated with the worship of nature. Paganism may take many forms, including pantheism
(belief that the whole of reality is divine), polytheism (belief in many gods), and animism (belief that natural features of the world are
invested with divine power).
16 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture

The Sabaean Influence (500 - 300 B.C approximately )

South Arabian gods worshiped in pre-Christian period

 Astar (like the chief of gods)
 Ilmuqah (chief god and protector of the Sabaeans),
 Nuru (the luminous, the dawn),
 Habas (Hawbas, probably an aspect of the moon- god),
 Dhat Himyam (the incandescent) and Dhat Ba`adan (the distant) both female aspects of Shams, the
sun, perhaps representing the summer and winter sun,
17 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
The Sabaean Influence
 “the Disk and the Crescent“ was the symbol of Sabean religion
 A stone altar found at Azbi-Dera and stele still standing at Matara near Senafe Eritrea have samples
of the Sabean “the Disk and the Crescent“
 The ornament in the Altar, which is clearly Architectural ,shows similar character with the "Aksumite"
type of window carpentry the same as the patterns of the largest steles at Aksum.
 The ornamentation of the altar probably symbolizes a temple or a palace

The ornament in the Altar, On of the Stelae of Aksum stele at Matara

18 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture

Sabaean Influence
 Stele (plural stelae)-is a grave monument or tall slender upright standing stones.
 Stelae are found along with temples. For example in the Temple of Yeha.
 The largest stelae may have platforms at the base.
 These platforms had circular depressed spaces and other arrangements for the ritual offering of
animals and probably also of vegetable products.
19 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
Obelisk vs Stele

obelisk is A monumental, four-sided stone shaft, usually Stele- is an ancient stone slab or pillar, usually engraved,
monolithic and tapering to a pyramidal tip. In Egyptian art, inscribed, or painted, and set upright .In classical
such a shaft mostly covered with hieroglyphs; originally architecture and derivatives it is an upright stone, usually a
erected as a cult symbol to the sun god. slab, marking a grave.

Washington Monument ,a marble The ancient Egyptian temple at Luxor.

obelisk 169 m tall, completed in The code of Hammurabi is Mayan stelae, San
1884 monument to George engraved on the black basalt of Diego
Washington. this 2.25m stele
20 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
Sabaean Influence
 The Sabaean scripts are the sources of Amharic letters.
 The Sabaean scripts are More geometrical than modern Amharic letters.
 The scripts represent entirely consonants.
 In Geez changes introduced to the letters so that the vowel sound after the consonant was also
defined and a complete syllable

Character of Sabean script Character of Geez (Ethiopic) script

Usually Curved on stones usually written with a blunt reed pen:

22 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
Temple of Yeha (around 700B.C)

Also called Temple of the Moon.

23 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture

Temple of the Moon ( approximately around 500 B.C* )

 The Culture of Damaat and Also pre-aksumite period in general was an urban and peri-urban culture.

 The Kingdom was able to unify small chiefdoms.

 The Damaat failed due to loss of control over maritime trade and collapse of the federation .

 Yeha is the last remaining evidence of pre-aksumite Civilization.

24 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
Temple of the Moon ( approximately around 500 B.C* )
 The oldest well preserved building (considered to be the sabaean Temple)

 It is located in Tigray ,Yeha about 25 km northeast of Adwa.

 Yeha believed to be the capital of Da’amat Kingdom

 Dated from the period of strongest Sabaean influence

 Stone altars were used here for the burning of incense (like Amharic Etan)

* Not confirmed by radio-carbon dating

25 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
Temple at Yeha
 Stone dressing, construction techniques, and decorative elements applied to the walls (i.e., the carved
ibex frieze) indicate strong Sabaean influence.
26 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
Temple at Yeha
 The rectangular temple was built for the god of the Moon

 The temple base is 18.5 m x 15 m and 12 m high consisting of only one long room

 And it built from sandstone blocks without mortar.

 Masonry units (stones)are put together in such a way as to channel rain away from the joints.
27 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
Temple of Yeha
 It has among the oldest preserved masonry of dressed stone in Ethiopia - and some of the best.

 The walls are smooth, with long well-cut sandstone*** blocks

 and excellent straightness and tightness of joints.

 Masonry Courses are equal and about 30cm.

The possible masonry course predicted by Lindahl.

*** Sandstone (sometimes called arenite) is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals . Sandstone was a popular building material from ancient
times. It is relatively soft, making it easy to carve. It has been widely used around the world in constructing temples, cathedrals, homes, and other buildings. It has also been
used for artistic purposes to create ornamental fountains and statues.
28 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
Temple of Yeha
 Construction perfection is the most significant feature of the temple.
 Regular rectangular sandstone blocks of up to 3 m length were used to construct the walls

 A Study predict that the sandstone must have been quarried from a massive sandstone bed.
 The sandstone walls are about 60cm thick.
 there are two layers in the walls interconnected to each other by smaller blocks of stone which serve as anchors

 The construction perfection gave it a monolithic character

29 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
Temple of Yeha
30 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
Temple of Yeha
31 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
Temple of Yeha
32 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
Temple of Yeha
33 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture
34 Pre-Aksumite Ethiopia and Its Architecture

12 pillars once supported the roof

Raised platform along the east wall that
must have served as the inner shrine
 load bearing walls or pillars were spaced
at 2 m intervals.
The roof may have been open to the sky
the temple walls extended some distance
above the roof which was flat and required
drinage
Virtual Reconstruction of propylon and masonry By German researchers
• Thank you
37

References

http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/13/queen-of-shebas-gold-mine-discovered-in-ethiopia/

http://www.traveladventures.org/continents/africa/yeha07.shtml

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adavey/3135343031/
http://whc.unesco.org/en/activities/159/

http://www.isprs.org/proceedings/XXXVIII/5-W16/pdf/lindstaedt_etal.pdf

http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi-bin/gbi.cgi/Stelae_of_Tiya.html/cid_1091031481_Tiya04.html

http://portal.svt.ntnu.no/sites/ices16/Proceedings/Volume%201/Asfawossen%20Asrat%20-%
20The%20Temple%20of%20Yeha.pdf

http://www.dainst.org/en/story/recovering-and-re-covering-ethiopia%E2%80%99s-past?ft=33
 QUIZ -1
1. Historical civilizations are often identified with
their surviving architectural achievements.
Explain with example. (2.5 point)
2. What do we mean that the heritage has an OUV?
- explain. (2.5 point)