Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PRE-AKSUMITE CIVILISATION
The cultural significance of the southern Arabian and the East African cultures mixing was
enormous. One consequence was the emergence of a number of Afro-Asiatic languages, in-
cluding Ge'ez which laid the foundation for modern Amharic. Amazingly, Ge'ez script is
still read by many Christian priests in Ethiopia.
Most significant was the rise of a remarkable
civilisation in Africa's Horn in 1500 BC. The
fact that the influence of southern Arabia was so
clear (in the Sabaean script and in the worship
of Sabaean gods), that the civilisation appeared
to mushroom overnight and was very localised,
and that it benefited from specialist crafts, skills
and technologies previously unknown in the area, led many scholars throughout history to
believe that the civilisation was actually spawned by Arabian settlers, and not Africans.
Whatever the origin, the civilisation was a very important one. The most famous relic of
the times is the extraordinary stone 'temple' of Yeha.
However, scholars of late argue with great conviction that this civilisation was indeed
African and while undoubtedly influenced by Sabaean ideas, it developed from within from
local effort and initiative.
The ox and plough is thought to have been in use in
Ethiopia for at least 3000 years. This same techno-
logy didn't appear in much of the rest of sub-Saha-
ran Africa until early colonial times.
THE DAYS BEFORE SHEBA
Historians might like to insist that little is known about the founding of the Aksumite Kingdom, but ask the average
Ethiopian and they'll tell you something very different. Aksum, they will say, was founded by none other than the
Great-Grandson of Noah, Aksumawi. His new kingdom flourished for a while, but one day Wainaba, a giant snake,
170 cubits long, attacked the city, killed the king and then ruled for 400 dark years. The snake was a foul-tempered
and dangerous creature and in order to placate him the people of Aksum fed him a diet of milk and virgins. Eventu-
ally salvation came in the form of a man named Angabo who, crossing the Red Sea from the land of the Sabeans,
offered to kill the serpent in exchange for the throne. The people of Aksum agreed, but rather than fighting the ser-
pent as the Aksumites expected, Angabo proved himself wise and fed the serpent a goat laced in poison.
The kingdom quickly recovered, Angabo married and had a daughter. That daughter was named Makeda and on
her father's death she became the woman we today know as the Queen of Sheba.
