Divine Fertility: The Continuity in Transformation of an Ideology of Sacred Kinship in Northeast Africa (UCL Institute of Archaeology Publications)

This book uniquely explores the impact of indigenous ideology and thought on everyday life in Northeast Africa. Furthermore, in highlighting the diversity in pre-Christian, pre-Islamic regional beliefs and practices that extend beyond the simplistic political arguments of the current dominant narratives, the study shows that for millennia complex indigenous institutions have bound people together beyond the labels of Christianity and Islam; they have sustained peace through cultural exchange and tolerance (if not always complete acceptance).

Through recent archaeological and ethnographic research, the concepts, landscapes, materials and rituals believed to be associated with the indigenous and shared culture of the Sky-God belief are examined. The author makes sense, for the first time, of the relationship between the notion of sacred fertility and a number of regional archaeological features and on-going ancient practices including FGM, spirit possessions, and other physically invasive practices and the ritual hunt. The book explores one of the most important pilgrimage centres in Somaliland and Somalia, the sacred landscape of Saint Aw-Barkhadle, founded ca. 12th century AD. It is believed to be the burial place of the rulers of the first Muslim Ifat and Awdal dynasties in this region, and potentially the lost first capital of Awdal kingdom before Harar. This ritual centre is seen as a ‘microcosm’ of the ancient Horn of Africa with its exceptional multi-religious heritage, through which the author lays out a locally appropriate archaeological interpretational framework, the "Ritual Set," also applied here to the Ethiopian sites of Tiya, Sheikh Hussein Bale, Aksum and Lalibela, setting these places against a wider historical background of indigenous Sky-God belief.

This archaeological study of sacred landscapes, stelae traditions, ancient Christian and medieval Muslim centres of Northeast Africa is the first to put forward a theoretical and analytical framework for the interpretation of the shared regional heritage and the indigenous archaeology of the region. It will be invaluable to archaeologists, anthropologists, historians and policymakers interested in Africa and beyond.

Support Somali Archeology and get the book if you can.
 

Admin

Community Manager
Staff Member
Administrator
51MDFJjfgPL.jpg


Divine Fertility: The Continuity in Transformation of an Ideology of Sacred Kinship in Northeast Africa is a new book by award-winning Somali archaeologist Dr. Sada Mire. Dr. Mire describes the book as being the first monograph on horn of africa archaeology by a Somali bridging social sciences & humanities.




in the book Dr. Mire also touches on the discouragement she faced whilst studying archaeology.


it looks like an interesting read. has anyone read it yet? ive bought the ebook on amazon. here is the link if anyone else is interested


there’s also a preview on google

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=J6nODwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
 

Yahya

2020 GRANDMASTER
VIP
51MDFJjfgPL.jpg


Divine Fertility: The Continuity in Transformation of an Ideology of Sacred Kinship in Northeast Africa is a new book by award-winning Somali archaeologist Dr. Sada Mire. Dr. Mire describes the book as being the first monograph on horn of africa archaeology by a Somali bridging social sciences & humanities.




in the book Dr. Mire also touches on the discouragement she faced whilst studying archaeology.


it looks like an interesting read. has anyone read it yet? ive bought the ebook on amazon. here is the link if anyone else is interested


there’s also a preview on google

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=J6nODwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=inauthor:"Sada+Mire"&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiAgaGlu4noAhVzCTQIHUzOAooQ6wEIKTAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
I will be reading it. Any thing on archeology interests me. We need a lot more archeology projects back home. I know there are many amazing secrets to be unearthed under our land. We also have some of the largest dinosaur species that were speculated to have lived in the horn region in our land and on the ogaden border.

I hope more of us can help to fund archeology projects in the homeland.


:)
 

General Asad

And What Is Not There Is Always More Than There.
I have not read/gotten ahold of the book but it seems to be a hefty book that offers lots of historical and cultural values that have been forgotten/lost.


This tweet about it caught my eye:
 

Admin

Community Manager
Staff Member
Administrator
I have not read/gotten ahold of the book but it seems to be a hefty book that offers lots of historical and cultural values that have been forgotten/lost.


This tweet about it caught my eye:

i may be ignorant but i don’t think any other somali has extensively studied and written about our indigenous religions, customs and traditions. im sure dr.mire has interesting new information to add to the field.

check out the google preview if you can’t get the ebook.
 

Crow

Make Hobyo Great Again
VIP
The book seems interesting but it's very expensive like a school textbook. Dr. Sada Mire should know that many of us are on welfare and can't afford this.
:mjcry:
 

Thegoodshepherd

Galkacyo iyo Calula dhexdood
VIP
I am not sure about the claim that ancestral graves are located in places that were previously sacred. Somalis were a nomadic people without a strong sense of place, and a short cultural memory. I doubt they would have kept track of preislamic holy sites when most did not keep track of where their grandfather's were buried.
 

Timo Jareer and proud

2nd Emir of the Akh Right Movement
I am not sure about the claim that ancestral graves are located in places that were previously sacred. Somalis were a nomadic people without a strong sense of place, and a short cultural memory. I doubt they would have kept track of preislamic holy sites when most did not keep track of where their grandfather's were buried.
A lot of these sites are pre Somali. Somali clan tombs are all found in Sanaag for a reason, we are a expansionist people.
 
She says some very interestign and controversial things in this book. I bet many of you are gonna change your opinion on her when you actually read the book :ftw9nwa:
 

Trending

Top