Why were some Somali cities historically walled?

[Maintainnnin]

Something I've noticed is that some historic Somali cities, no matter if they were coastal or inland, were often walled with archway entrances. Excluding Harar, the other walled Somali cities seem to be in the South. Could it be due to the Southern cities being more vulnerable to Oromo attacks?

1.What was the reason for this?
2.When were they constructed?
3.We know Harar's walls were constructed due to the Oromo migrations, were these Somali cities walled for the same reason?

Some examples of historically walled Somali cities below. There's probably more examples I just don't have photos ready on hand for them. I heard Muqdisho used to be walled also but idk if that's true.


1. Marka

2. Baardheere

3. Harar

 

[Burqad]

To keep the reer miiyi from bililiqo

 

[Shangani]

Something I've noticed is that some historic Somali cities, no matter if they were coastal or inland, were often walled with archway entrances. Excluding Harar, the other walled Somali cities seem to be in the South. Could it be due to the Southern cities being more vulnerable to Oromo attacks?

1.What was the reason for this?
2.When were they constructed?
3.We know Harar's walls were constructed due to the Oromo migrations, were these Somali cities walled for the same reason?

Some examples of historically walled Somali cities below. There's probably more examples I just don't have photos ready on hand for them. I heard Muqdisho used to be walled also but idk if that's true.


1. Marka
View attachment 266526


2. Baardheere
View attachment 266527


3. Harar
View attachment 266529

also Xamar and Barawa

 

[Maintainnnin]

also Xamar and Barawa

In some of the coins to the Muqdisho Sultans there's references to waging war. The Ajuraan Sultanate is also documented to have waged a series of wars against the Oromos. Is it possible these cities were walled due to Oromo attacks? Or were they built much earlier?


I think Barawa was the most southward Somali city before we expanded south in the 19th century. Oromos used to be much more northward bordering the town of Luuq to the east & the Juuba river to the north.

 

[Maintainnnin]

To keep the reer miiyi from bililiqo

What's interesting is I don't know of any cities in the North that had such walls constructed besides Harar. I wonder why these walled cities were built in the south but not the north.

 

[Burqad]

What's interesting is I don't know of any cities in the North that had such walls constructed besides Harar. I wonder why these walled cities were built in the south but not the north.

Northern Guuban cities were seasonal, people used to (and still do) leave berbera and bossaso every summer to avoid the heat, it wouldn’t be worth the investment.

 

[Maintainnnin]

Northern Guuban cities were seasonal, people used to (and still do) leave berbera and bossaso every summer to avoid the heat, it wouldn’t be worth the investment.

I know the population fluctuated in the northern cities, but there would still be some permanent population present.

After all some of the cities like Saylac served as the trade outlet for the most of the Ethiopian interior for centuries so there was definitely enough trade volume & activity to support a decent permanent population. There's also records of port towns in the north like Xaafuun having an advantage in commercial trade compared to Aden for example so they must have been fairly busy trading hubs.

 

[Hamzza]

I know the population fluctuated in the northern cities, but there would still be some permanent population present.

After all some of the cities like Saylac served as the trade outlet for the most of the Ethiopian interior for centuries so there was definitely enough trade volume & activity to support a decent permanent population. There's also records of port towns in the north like Xaafuun having an advantage in commercial trade compared to Aden for example so they must have been fairly busy trading hubs.

Zeylac was walled

 

[Maintainnnin]

Zeylac was walled

Is there documentation or photos of it? or was it dismantled before the colonial era?

 

[reer_ugaas_hussein]

1.What was the reason for this?
2.When were they constructed?
3.We know Harar's walls were constructed due to the Oromo migrations, were these Somali cities walled for the same reason?



2. Baardheere
View attachment 266527

The city of Baardheere was founded long after the great oromo migration by the rx sheikh Ibrahim yabarrow and his jamaaca in the end of the 18th century. The walls were constructed shortly after the founding of the settlement by the jamaaca as they were expanding rapidly and needed a defense from their many somali enemies in the interior.

 

[Cartan Boos]

Nugaal and sool have ruined cities all over the regions, when the cadaan explorer reached sool he described it as the only region in Somalia who has hundred of ruins and walls,praying templets

 

[mahamdov]

Noomds sometimes attacked cities
Look at the number of ancient ruined cities in Somaliland, all destroyed by nomads

 

[mahamdov]

Is there documentation or photos of it? or was it dismantled before the colonial era?

There is a book written by one of the Ottomans there that they used to fire cannons when the Noomds approached the city, and this sound frightened them and they fled

 

[Hamzza]

Is there documentation or photos of it? or was it dismantled before the colonial era?

Saaxiib read Richard Burton's book he describes Zeyla and it's wall.

 

[Dima&Damo]

Nugaal and sool have ruined cities all over the regions, when the cadaan explorer reached sool he described it as the only region in Somalia who has hundred of ruins and walls,praying templets

My cousins in nugaal finds on the daily artifacts

 

[Garaad diinle]

My cousins in nugaal finds on the daily artifacts

It would be great if you were to share some pictures of these artefacts.

 

[Internet Nomad]

Did they use siege weapons to fight walled cities?

 

[Maintainnnin]

The city of Baardheere was founded long after the great oromo migration by the rx sheikh Ibrahim yabarrow and his jamaaca in the end of the 18th century. The walls were constructed shortly after the founding of the settlement by the jamaaca as they were expanding rapidly and needed a defense from their many somali enemies in the interior.

I believe Somalis expanded across the Juba river starting in the 19th century, could be wrong tho. I just remember reading somewhere that South of the Juba river used to be Oromo.

 

[reer_ugaas_hussein]

I believe Somalis expanded across the Juba river starting in the 19th century, could be wrong tho. I just remember reading somewhere that South of the Juba river used to be Oromo.

Yes, in the 19th Century an alliance of migrating Darood defeated the Wardey and settled in their lands (Jubbaland and NFD).

The jamaaca of baardheere themselves rarely fought against the Oromo on the other side of the river, their enemies were the geledi sultanate of afgooye and others north of the jubba.

 

[Som]

Mogadishu had a wall, it was destroyed by the Italians to make room for other neighborhood of the city. To walls were for protection against invasions mostly from Oromos but also from the Portuguese