Aksum and the Gulf of Aden

It was suggested that I not mix Aksum and the history of Hargeisa., so here is a separate thread.


https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs...a61b6a543c0a2a48dd10e497c25ff99b&action=click

bacfd287e0193e4b08f95e40ed859efe.jpg


https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10437-015-9184-9

This is Sada Mire's map of the ancient Christian burials in Somaliland, the white circles.

10437_2015_9184_Fig4_HTML.gif


Sada Mire, same link:

"The Archaeology of Ancient Christianity in the Somali Context: Burials (ca. Fourth–Twelfth century CE)
To my knowledge, this section is the first report of ancient Christianity in Somali territory. Yet in the Horn of Africa, Christianity goes back to the first few centuries of the Current Era, the earliest such practice in sub-Saharan Africa. In Somaliland, an ancient Christian burial has been found at the pre-Islamic and Islamic site of Aw-Barkhadle (see Map 4). This is the first stela marked with an ancient Christian cross, probably of Byzantine appearance. Often, ancient Christian cemeteries or burials are found in what are early Islamic ruined towns. This shows that the areas that blossomed as towns under Islam were most likely also significant pre-Islamic centres. The Somali region seems to have been linked with pre-Aksumite kingdoms and South Arabian cultures as indicated by the Himyarite and Sabaean writing in the ancient burial and rock art contexts. Furthermore, as the pre-Aksumite culture paved the way for the Aksumite culture, it seems that the Somali region is also part of that early Christianity which presumably spread eastwards from current-day Ethiopia. Interestingly, the distribution of Christian sites falls roughly in the same area as the decorated stelae cemeteries, again another common tradition in the Horn of Africa.

The cruciform is known as laanqayr, and tombs are very common in the archaeology of Somaliland. There are also megalithic burials where the stones are arranged in a cross. The area of Dhuxun (62), in Saahil region, has many cruciform burials as well as other megalithic burials. There are many isolated, single Christian burials, massive in their design, which we have not included in this report. Dhubato in the Hargeysa region and the Saahil area have many ancient Christian burials which are aligned as a cross. Sites such as Suuqsade (Xarago tir), and Dhuxun of Xagal, Gala Caddo (23) near Dhagah Kure, Aroori (Laanta gadaal baxday) (24), and Kal Bare (57) contain ancient Christian burials. There are also finds of Christian codices in Somaliland. These seem to be written in Ethiopian languages, including Ge‘es. Documentation and preservation of such ancient records is urgent. Currently, there are no measures in place by the Ministry to acquire this material due to lack of financial resources as well as awareness."


IMO everyone should read Sada Mire, everything she writes.
 
I don't know much avaab history so forgive the stupid question but are those Christian sites that were around at the time of Islam or before because the tezt doesn't make it clear.
 

madaxweyne

madaxweyne
VIP
the area was ruled by independent tyrannidas of the somali city states confirmed by roman and greek sources they merely co opted christianity from trade with aksum
 
So are these Christian burial sites Axumite or South Arabian in origin, do you think?

@EDsomali @Cuneo

Also, burial sites could just mean some people died on journey and were buried. So far, is there any evidence of a permanent settlement of this Christian groups?
 
It was suggested that I not mix Aksum and the history of Hargeisa., so here is a separate thread.


https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=map+of+ancient+aksum&fr=yhs-iba-1&hspart=iba&hsimp=yhs-1&imgurl=http://www.nairaland.com/attachments/1331270_mapa_de_aksum_jpga61b6a543c0a2a48dd10e497c25ff99b#id=6&iurl=http://www.nairaland.com/attachments/1331270_mapa_de_aksum_jpga61b6a543c0a2a48dd10e497c25ff99b&action=click

bacfd287e0193e4b08f95e40ed859efe.jpg


https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10437-015-9184-9

This is Sada Mire's map of the ancient Christian burials in Somaliland, the white circles.

10437_2015_9184_Fig4_HTML.gif


Sada Mire, same link:

"The Archaeology of Ancient Christianity in the Somali Context: Burials (ca. Fourth–Twelfth century CE)
To my knowledge, this section is the first report of ancient Christianity in Somali territory. Yet in the Horn of Africa, Christianity goes back to the first few centuries of the Current Era, the earliest such practice in sub-Saharan Africa. In Somaliland, an ancient Christian burial has been found at the pre-Islamic and Islamic site of Aw-Barkhadle (see Map 4). This is the first stela marked with an ancient Christian cross, probably of Byzantine appearance. Often, ancient Christian cemeteries or burials are found in what are early Islamic ruined towns. This shows that the areas that blossomed as towns under Islam were most likely also significant pre-Islamic centres. The Somali region seems to have been linked with pre-Aksumite kingdoms and South Arabian cultures as indicated by the Himyarite and Sabaean writing in the ancient burial and rock art contexts. Furthermore, as the pre-Aksumite culture paved the way for the Aksumite culture, it seems that the Somali region is also part of that early Christianity which presumably spread eastwards from current-day Ethiopia. Interestingly, the distribution of Christian sites falls roughly in the same area as the decorated stelae cemeteries, again another common tradition in the Horn of Africa.

The cruciform is known as laanqayr, and tombs are very common in the archaeology of Somaliland. There are also megalithic burials where the stones are arranged in a cross. The area of Dhuxun (62), in Saahil region, has many cruciform burials as well as other megalithic burials. There are many isolated, single Christian burials, massive in their design, which we have not included in this report. Dhubato in the Hargeysa region and the Saahil area have many ancient Christian burials which are aligned as a cross. Sites such as Suuqsade (Xarago tir), and Dhuxun of Xagal, Gala Caddo (23) near Dhagah Kure, Aroori (Laanta gadaal baxday) (24), and Kal Bare (57) contain ancient Christian burials. There are also finds of Christian codices in Somaliland. These seem to be written in Ethiopian languages, including Ge‘es. Documentation and preservation of such ancient records is urgent. Currently, there are no measures in place by the Ministry to acquire this material due to lack of financial resources as well as awareness."


IMO everyone should read Sada Mire, everything she writes.

Interesting, why are there so few pictures im intrested to see these “cross shaped graves” also if those inscriptions are similiar to the inscriptions on the tombs within the deep south will you start saying that aksum reached the far south and by extent the indian ocean?
 

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