Culture, Art and Heritage

1.1 COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course, Art and Heritage is offered to theology students. This is one of the basic introduction
courses to Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church theology families.

Remember that the course is interesting and important because it will tell and introduces culture
of the country peoples, Christianity followers, the church and different Ethiopian heritages those
contributed by the Ethiopia Orthodox Tewahido church. And also introduces you systematic
approach culture, art and heritage studies. This course familiarizes you to Ethiopia and
Ethiopians and touched our great church with her heritage.

In addition, the course highlights you world approach of culture, art and art study practice with
different eras and religions. Moreover, the course provides to you, interconnect with different
countryside people’s thoughts and perspective through their culture, art and preservation of their
heritage. Many Ethiopian culture histories were written by Europeans. Due to the reason our
culture also gets biases.

Furthermore, while you go through the course, do it with attention and prepare your own short
note of the important points of each unit. This will help you to well understand the course matter
and to get ready for future examination. It can help you save time and keep track of what you
have done in the units. Finally, I strongly advise you don’t stop with this course. You have to
read more and more related materials to the course.

1.2 ORGANAIZATION OF THE COURSE

The course, Art and Heritage, is organized structured in one semester course. The course divided
in to three units and each unit is further divided in to sub-units.

Unit one of these courses is concerned on introduces the term culture and its related meaning
with different sections of the unit. The second unit is about basic concepts of heritage, how to
select and preserve heritages, introduces different Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church
heritages throughout the country. The third and last unit discuss about Art and its history, Art
practice in Ethiopia and related subtopics.
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1.2 GENERAL COURSE OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this course is in line with the objective of the university and our mother
church resource. As we mentioned in the above introduce you with the concept of culture, art and
heritage. The other objective is, it facilitates your sermon by providing the followers different
culture, thought and perspective in advance.

Therefore after you successfully complete this course, it will be expect

 Understand the basic concept of Culture, Art and Heritage;

 Compare your understanding on the concept of culture, art and heritage that you know
before took the course;
 Have a broad understanding on heritages of the church;
 To contribute your responsibility for the preservation of heritages;
 You intended to read more and more related materials;
 Appreciate the importance of culture, art and heritage for the society;
 Understand how much EOTC contribute to Ethiopia’s tourism development by providing
her heritages to the tourist market;
 Identify how history writers biases peoples culture and thoughts;
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References

 Richard Devied J (2002) Aspects of Tourism: Tourism and Development Concept and
Issues. Toronto: Channel view Publication.
 Richards G (2000) Tourism and the World of Culture and Heritage Tourism.
 Silberberg (1995) Cultural Tourism and Business Opportunities for Museums. Toronto.
 Jin H (2002) Contribution of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church for Tourism Development.
Proceedings of the Ethiopian Church Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Mahibere
Kidusan. Addis Ababa.
 Sisay A (2009) Historical Development of Travel and Tourism in Ethiopia. Addis Ababa.
 World Heritage Convention (1972) Ancient and Medieval Ethiopian History to1270 A.D.
Addis Ababa: United Printers.
 Howard P (2003) Heritage, Management, Interpretation, Identity, London.
 UNESCO (1972) Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and
Natural Heritage. Adopted in Paris.
 UNESCO (2003) Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Adopted in Paris.
 Wonagegnehu A, Motovu J (1970) the Ethiopian Orthodox Church: The Ethiopian
Orthodox Mission. Addis Ababa.
 Zewde B (1998) A Short History of Ethiopia and the Horn. Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa
University Press.
 Briggs P (2005) Ethiopia: The bradt travel Guide. The globe Pequot press.
 Kalewold E (1974) Traditional Ethiopian Church School. New York N: Columbia
University Press.
 Federal Negarit Gazeta (2000) Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural
Heritage Proclamation.
 Amene G (1998) Features of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Clergy. Institute of
the Oriental and African Studies: Slovack Academy of Science.
 Dagne HG (1970) the Ethiopian Orthodox School System. In The Church of Ethiopia a
Panorama of History and Spiritual Life: Addis Ababa
 Melaku L (1986) Yebetekrstian Tarik. Addis Ababa: Tinsaye Zegubaye Printing Press.
Culture, Art and Heritage
 Mitchell M (2006) Global Travel-Tourism Career and Opportunities. Orthodox Dialogue
Printing Press.
 Hablesellassie S (1970) the Establishment of the Ethiopian Church. In the Church of
Ethiopia: a panorama of History and spiritual life. Addis Ababa
 Zemedkun B (1992) the Masoretic Cemetery in Ethiopia: The 44 Wives of the Diocese
and Synagogue. Ethiopia: Addis Ababa.
Culture, Art and Heritage
Chapter one

1. The Definitions and theory of Culture

Culture should be regarded as the set of distinctive linguistic, spiritual, material, intellectual and
emotional features of the society or a social group, and that it encompasses, in addition to art and
literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs; That all
cultures emanate from the societies, communities, groups and individuals and Ethiopian cultural
policy should of necessity enable peoples to evolve for increased responsibility in its
development.

The Perspective of Anthropologists and behavioral scientists on Culture Humans are animals
with a difference. That difference is Culture, and a major reason for our adaptability/flexibility
and success. Social and cultural means of adaptation have been crucially important in hominid
evolution.

Society is organized life in groups. Like humans, many other animals, including apes, monkeys,
wolves, many monkeys live in social groups called troops, composed of multiple adult males and
females and their offspring, in which dominance hierarchies, juvenile/young play groups, and
various coordinated movements and activities regulate contacts between members.

Human populations, however, are organized not only by their habitual social activities and
relationships but also by exposure to a common cultural tradition. Cultural tradition or, more
simply, cultures are transmitted through learning and language. Edward B. Tyler in his book,
Primitive Culture, published in 1871. Tyler said that culture is:-

"that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any
other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society."

Of course, it is not limited to men. Women possess and create it as well. Since Tylor's time, the
concept of culture has become the central focus of anthropology. Culture is a powerful human
tool for survival, but it is a fragile phenomenon. It is constantly changing and easily lost because
it exists only in our minds. Our written languages, governments, buildings, and other man-made
things are merely the products of culture. They are not culture in themselves. For this reason,
archaeologists cannot dig up culture directly in their excavations. The broken pots and other

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artifacts of ancient people that they uncover are only material remains that reflect cultural
patterns--they are things that were made and used through cultural knowledge and skills.

Layers of Culture

There are very likely three layers or levels of culture that are part of your learned behavior
patterns and perceptions.

Culture from parents and Family member

Most obviously is the body of cultural traditions that distinguish your specific society. When
people speak of Italian, Samoan, or Japanese culture, they are referring to the shared language,
traditions, and beliefs that set each of these peoples apart from others. In most cases, those who
share your culture do so because they acquired it as they were raised by parents and other family
members.

Culture from Identity

The second layer of culture that may be part of your identity is a subculture. In complex, diverse
societies in which people have come from many different parts of the world, they often retain
much of their original cultural traditions. As a result, they are likely to be part of an identifiable
subculture in their new society. The shared cultural traits of subcultures set them apart from the
rest of their society. Examples of easily identifiable subcultures in the United States include
ethnic groups such as Vietnamese Americans, African Americans, and Mexican Americans.
Members of each of these subcultures share a common identity, food tradition, dialect or
language, and other cultural traits/character that come from their common ancestral background
and experience.

Culture from Universality

The third layer of culture consists of cultural universals. These are learned behavior patterns that
are shared by all of humanity collectively. No matter where people live in the world, they share
these universal traits. Examples of such "human cultural" traits include:

1. Communicating with a verbal language consisting of a limited set of sounds and grammatical
rules for constructing sentences;

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2. Using age and gender to classify people (e.g., teenager, senior citizen, woman, man);

3. Classifying people based on marriage and descent relationships and having kinship terms to
refer to them (example, wife, mother, uncle, cousin);

4. Raising children in some sort of family setting;

5. Having a sexual division of labor (e.g., men's work versus women's work);

6. Having a concept of privacy;

7. Having rules to regulate sexual behavior;

8. Distinguishing between good and bad behavior;

9. having some sort of body ornamentation;

10. Making jokes and playing games;

11. Having art;

12. Having some sort of leadership roles for the implementation of community decisions.

While all cultures have these kind of possibly many other universal traits, different cultures have
developed their own specific ways of carrying out or expressing them. For instance, people and
deaf subcultures frequently use their hands to communicate with sign language instead of verbal
language. However; sign languages have grammatical rules just as verbal one do.

Culture and society

Culture and society is not the same thing. While cultures are complexes of learned behavior
patterns and perceptions, societies are groups of interacting organisms. Peoples are not the only
animals that have societies. Nichols of fish flocks birds and hives are societies. In the case of
humans, however, societies are group of peoples directly or indirectly interact with each other.
People in human societies also generally perceive that their society is distinct from other
societies in terms of shared traditions and expectations.

While human society and cultures is not the same thing, they are inextricably connected because
culture is created and transmitted to others a society. Cultures are not the product of lone
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individuals. They are the continuously evolving products of people interacting with each other.
Cultural patterns such as language and politics make no sense except in terms of the interaction
of people. If you were the only human on earth, there would be no need for language and
government.

Cultural his limited to humans

There is a different opinion in the behavioral science about whether or not, we are the only
animal that creates and uses culture. The answer to the question depends on how narrow culture
is defined. It is used broadly to refer to a complex of learned behavior patterns, and then it is
clear that we are not alone in creating and using culture. Many other animal species teach their
young what they themselves learned in order to survive. This is especially true of the
chimpanzees and other relatively intelligent apes and monkeys. Wild chimpanzee mother
typically teach their children about several hundred food and medical plants. Their children also
have to learn about the dominance hierarchy and the social rules within their communities. As
male become teenagers, they acquire hunting skills from adults. Females have to learn how to
nurse and care for their babies. Chimpanzees are all learned patterns of behavior just as they are
for humans. Thus, some scientists argue that culture does belong to mankind; it also shared by
those wild animals mentioned above.

The characteristics of culture

For anthropologist culture includes much more than refinement, taste, sophistication, education,
and appreciation of the fine arts. Not only college graduates but all peoples are cultured. The
most important and significant forces are those affect people every day of their lives, particularly
those which influence children during enculturation. Culture as defined anthropologically,
encompasses features that are sometime regarded as tribal or unworthy of serious study, such as
―popular‖ culture. To understand contemporary north American culture, we must consider
television, fast-food restaurant, sports and games. As a cultural manifestation, a rock star may be
as interesting as a symphony conductor, comic books as significant as a book-award winner.

Culture in general and specific

All human population has culture, which is therefore a generalized possession of genotype. Thus
culture (capital C) in general sense, a capacity and possession shared by hominids. However,
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anthropologists also used the word culture to describe the different and varied cultural tradition
of specific societies. Thus is culture in the specific sense (small c). Humanity shares a capacity
for culture, but people live popular culture, where they are uncultured along different lines. All
people grow in the presence of a particular set of cultural rules transmitted over the generations.
These are specific culture or cultural traditions that anthropologists study.

Culture learned

The ease each children absorb any cultural tradition reflects the uniquely elaborated hominid
capacity of learn. There are different kinds of learning, some which we share with other animals.
One kind of individual situational learning, which occurs when an animal learns from, and bases
its further behavior on, its own experience, for example, avoiding fire after discovering that it
hearts, animal also exhibit social situational learning, in which they learn from other members of
social group, not necessarily through language. Wolves, for example, learn hunting strategies
from other pack members, social situational learning is particularly important among monkeys
and apes, our closest relatives. Finally, there is cultural learning. thus depends on the uniquely
developed human capacity to use symbols, signs that have not necessary or natural connections
with the things for which they stand.

A critical feature in hominid evolution is dependence on cultural learning, through culture people
create, remember and deal ideas with ideas. They grasp and apply specific systems of symbolic
meaning. Thus Clifford defines culture as ideas based on cultural learning and symbols. Culture
are sets of ―control mechanism-plans, recipes, rule constructions, what computer engineering call
programs for the governing behavior‖. These programs are observed by the people through
enculturation in particular traditions. People gradually internalize a previously established
system of learning and symbols which they use to define their word, express their feelings, and
make their judgments. Thereafter, this system helps guide their behavior and perceptions
throughout their lives.

Culture is also transmitted through observation. Children pay attention to the things that go
around them. They modify their behavior not just because other people tell them but as a result
of their own observation and growing awareness of what their culture consider right and wrong.
Culture is also observed unconsciously.

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Culture is symbolic

Symbolic thought in unique and crucial to human and to culture. White defined culture is extra-
somatic (non-genetic, non-bodily), temporal continuum of things and events dependent upon
symbolizing. Culture consists of tools, implements, beliefs, utensils, clothing, ornaments,
customs, institutions, rituals, games, works of arts, language, etc.

Culture sizes nature

Culture improves itself its nature. Assume that someone once arrived at a summer camp at 5
P.M, he was hot and wanted to swim in the lake. However; he reads the camp rules and learned
that no swimming was permitted after five. A cultural system had seized the lake, which is part
of nature. Natural lakes do not close at five, but cultural lakes do.

Culture takes the natural biological urges we share with other animals and teachers us how to
express them particular ways. People have to eat, culture teaches us what, when, and how. In
many culture people have their main meal and noon, but Americans prefer a large dinner,
English people eat fish for breakfast, but Americans prefer hot cakes and cold cereals.

Culture is shared

Culture is an attribute not of individuals but of individuals as members of groups. Culture is

transmitted in society. We learn our culture by observing, learning, talking, and interacting with
other people. Share cultural beliefs, values memories, expectations, and ways of thinking and
acting override differences between people. Enculturation unifies people by providing us with
common experience.

Culture is patterned

Cultures are not haphazard/random collections of customs and beliefs but integrated, patterned
systems. Customs, institutions, beliefs and values are interrelated; If one changes, other changes
well. During the 1950s most American women expected to have domestic careers as
homemakers and mothers. Today‘s college women expect to get jobs when they graduate.

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As women enter the work force in increasing numbers, attitudes towards marriage, family and
children change. Outside work places strains on marriage and the family. Late marriage ―living
together‖, and divorce become more common.

Chapter Two

2. Cultural Heritage

Cultural heritage treasures are precious communal assets that show the past human legacy. It
depicts present and future way of life as well as cultural values of a society, and enhances
solidarity and social integration of communities. Heritage is that which has been or may be
inherited, regardless of its value. Unfortunately, the term ‗heritage‘ (the thirteenth-century
English word is derived from the Latin haeres, meaning heir or heiress) is nowadays frequently
used for purposes best described as touristic, to sell everything from beer and tomatoes to cars,
gardens, and hotels. It is possible to think of some of this heritage as non-cultural, or perhaps
even anti-cultural. Cultural heritage is an integral factor of sustainable development, climate
change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and community resilience. Today, both tangible and
intangible heritage are at risk due to development and socio-economic transformations, natural
hazards, disasters, climate change, urbanization, unsustainable tourism, conflicts and political
tensions

2.1.Definitions of Terms on Cultural Heritages

Heritage can be defined in three ways:

1. Property of a country or areas, history and historical buildings or sites that are considered to be
of interest and value to present generation (artifacts, manuscripts, landscapes, buildings, etc) that
is or can be inherited; an inheritance.

2. Something (cultural achievements or custom), which is passed down from preceding/previous

generations, example way of life, culture and tradition a society.

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3. The status acquired by a person through birth, which is something, immaterial heritages such
as a custom that is passed down from one generation to another, example a heritage of affluence
(wealth),inheritance legacy, a heritage of moral uprights, a rich inheritance of story-telling, a
legacy of philosophical thought and social position.

In general, heritage can be defined everything that is inherited from the past such as structures,
objects, images, ideas, sentiments (expression of fillings or ideas), and practices, which describe
sand witnesses the evolution of man and nature through centuries.

Heritage includes any artifacts, natural sites or intangible culture that contains significance and
value. Regardless of its physical dimensions, the excellence of cultural heritage depends on its
meaning and importance. It carries an intrinsic/basic message from its time to the future
generations.

Historic structures, buildings, sites and objects (works of art) are some of the most important
resources and need to be preserved and protected. The history, philosophy and theory of
preservation of historic buildings and structures can be traced back to the 19th century by
examining the ideas of John Ruskin and Viollet-le-Duc, who are considered by many to be two
of the first conservation/preservation.

Heritage also includes, but is much more than preserving, excavating, displaying, or restoring a
collection of old things. It is both tangible and intangible, in the sense that ideas and memories—
of songs, recipes, language, dances, and many other elements of which people identify
themselves—are as important as historical buildings and archaeological sites.

2.2. Classification of heritage

According to World Heritage Conventions adopted by the General Conference of United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1972, there are two broad
categories of heritage Natural and Cultural.

Cultural heritage: The term cultural heritage and cultural resource are used in Europe and in
USA respectively. However, both of them are specifically referring to cultural heritage
resources. According to UNESCO cultural heritage, encompasses monuments, groups of
buildings and sites, inscriptions, cave dwellings, archaeological sites, ―which are of outstanding

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universal value from the point of view of history, art or science‖. Cultural heritage represent a
masterpiece of human creative genius and a unique artistic achievement, have exerted great
influence, bear a unique or exceptional testimony to a human civilization. On the other hand,
Proclamation No. 209/2000 of the Ethiopian research and conservation of cultural heritage state
that, cultural heritages are the product of long aged human activity and creativity that comprises
the tangible and intangible ones. Elucidate that cultural heritage are the product of human
prehistoric and historic endeavor besides it indicates the nature of evolution. Cultural heritage is
also grouped into two, tangible cultural heritage and intangible cultural heritage.

Tangible heritage: According to proclamation No. 209/2000 of ARCCH, tangible heritages are
cultural remains that can be seen or felt. Tangible cultural heritage include buildings,
monuments, Manuscripts, historic places, artifacts and other remains of the same kind that are
considered worthy of preservation for the future. These include objects significant to the
archaeology, architecture, science or technology of a specific culture. These tangible cultural
heritage further classified as, tangible movable cultural heritage and immovable tangible cultural
heritages. According to proclamation No.209/2000 (of ARCCH), Movable cultural heritage
comprises:

Movable Cultural Heritage: means Cultural Heritage not attached to the foundation, that can be
moved from place to place easily, and which are handed down from the past generation and shall
include parchment, manuscripts, stone paintings and implements. sculptures and statues made of
gold, silver, bronze, iron, copper or of any other mineral or wood, stone, inscriptions of skin,
ivory, horn, archaeological and bone or earth or of any other material, and also Paleontological
remains.

Immovable cultural heritages are heritage that are fixed to the earth with a foundation that
cannot be moved from place to place unless and otherwise dismantling them. Some of the
immovable cultural heritages, buildings, monuments, Churches, memorial and burial places,
historical or pre-historical archaeological sites are the most important one (Proclamation
209/2000 (of ARCCH). Heritages are not limited to material manifestations, such as monuments
and objects that have been preserved over time. They are immaterial, indefinable or invisible
kind of heritages. They also include the living expressions, like the traditions that many groups
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and communities worldwide have been passed down by their ancestors and will continue to pass
on to their descendants by words of mouth. Under this topic the followings are examples of
intangible heritages.

1. Oral Tradition:- Proverbs, oral poems/ Ethiopic Qines, folktales, legends Story-telling, saying
accounts of past events, philosophical thought and system of teaching by reasoning are regarded
as parts oral traditions. The reason is that all these things are handed down from generation to
generation through words of mouth.

2. Social Practice:- rituals and festive events like naming, marriage, funerals, holidays,
traditional reconciliation, etc.

3. Knowledge and Practice:- knowing nature, universe, calendar, traditional medicine, etc…

4. Performing arts:- like traditional music, dance, theatre and drama;

5. Moral uprightness:- (honorable, straight forward in behavior), moral habits, standards of

behavior, principle of right and wrong.

Living heritage (intangible heritage): According to the 2003 UNESCO Convention intangible
cultural heritage means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills as well as
the instruments, etc. Intangible heritage resources are also known as living heritage resources
that consist of the spiritual wealth, social customs, practices, representations, expressions,
knowledge, skills, oral traditions and other traditional performances that are not physical and
‗cannot be touched or seen‘. This intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to
generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment,
their interaction with nature and their history, and provides them with a sense of identity and
Continuity.

Heritage tourism: Heritage tourism is a form of tourism that specifically targets the art,
architecture, history, monuments, museums, theatres, religious heritage, social interaction, food
habits, and lifestyle of people in a certain geographical region. According to Jamie and Eric,
heritage tourism deals with traveling to experience the places and activities that authentically
represent the stories, people of the past, and present. It includes irreplaceable historic, cultural
and natural resources. Heritage tourism is very important segments of the total tourism demand,

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and represents 37% of international tourism. It is important that this demand can be estimated to
be growing at 15% per year. Hence, Heritage tourism, as a part of the broader category of
tourism is now a major pillar of the tourism industry. On the other hand heritage tourism is an
umbrella and comprises both the natural and cultural tourism activity while cultural heritage
tourism by contrast, highlights human accomplishments rather than nature. Ethiopia has several
varieties of heritage tourism destination in different areas of the country, like monumental
heritage related with art and architecture, the religious heritage the natural heritage, traditional
arts and crafts, music and dance.

2.3.The importance of heritages

 It is a means to promote the development of science, education, culture and art in the
form of scientific education.
 Making interaction among people in culture and art;
 It introduces the identity and history of people in order to promote their culture;
 It enables to generate the incomes contributing to economic and social development
attracting tourists to the areas where the heritage is found.
 It can be used as evidence that the degree of civilization of the past generation from
which the present society come;
 It reminds us how and what kind of resources the past generation used for its survival.
2.4. The criteria evaluating materials to be recognized as cultural heritage

In order to evaluate an object as the cultural heritage, there are criteria‘s for categorizing a
material belongs to this group. These are:-

 Its advantage in the historical and cultural values;

 Its artistic content on the subject;
 Its artistic beauty and quality of the material;
 Its time when it was done;
 Its uniqueness or sample to be the work of specific society.
2.5. General perspective on Ethiopian culture

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Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, once ruled as a dynasty by a series of
monarchs. It is distinct from most other African nations as it is one of the only countries that
successfully resisted European colonization. It also has a historical connection to Christianity,
with the region adopting the religion before many Western nations were exposed to it. This
legacy of the country‘s independence and the Ethiopian ‗Tewahedo‘ Orthodox Church are very
important to Ethiopians‘ sense of national pride. Their sense of morality and cultural refinement
are shaped by centuries of practice, and continue to inform how they see themselves in the
contemporary setting. Generally speaking, Ethiopians are renowned for being welcoming,
considerate, cooperative and non-confrontational people.

Ethiopia is a land of big skies and broad landscape. In the highlands, the plateau reaches
endlessly to a horizon that blends into blue sky speckled with white cumulus clouds, a sky that is
an integral part of the landscape. The whole expansive view breathes of freedom and joy that
goes along with open spaces.

However; it is the people of Ethiopia who truly round out of the character of this intriguing land.
They are intrinsically religious and, as you travel the countryside, you may spy a distant
octagonal church topped with an Ethiopian cross and preached on a hill, surrounded by trees. It is
certain to pack on Sunday and on many other occasions, for Ethiopians celebrate some 150 saints
days a year. One vivid impression of the capital, Addis Ababa, is people, dressed in traditional
white, homespun cotton, seemingly floating in the early morning mists as they make their way
down the streets and into the churches.

Church ceremonies are a major feature of Ethiopian life. The events are impressive and unique.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church has its own head, follows its own customs, and is
extremely proud of its fourth century origins, which means Ethiopia was Christian long before
Europe.

The celebration of ―Timket‖ or Epiphany, on 19 January of the western Gregorian calendar is

probably the biggest festival of the year. With great ceremony the sacred tabot-a tablet of wood
or stone reprehensive of those contained in the ark of covenant is taken from each church and
held overhead by a priest throughout the night. Then with even more ceremony, it is returned to
its constructed resting place. During these colorful occasions priests are bedecked in dazzling

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brocade robes, carry ornate hand crosses, and move under decorated brocade umbrellas. They
chant to the accompaniment of solemn drums and rhythmic clink cestrum.

2.5.1. Land of kings, Legends and Colorful Cultures

The people of Ethiopia are as diverse and contrasting as the country itself. Although nearly half
of the population adheres to the deeply rooted Christian faith of the Ethiopian Orthodox
Tewahido Church, a large percentage is Muslim, and there are some who practices ancient forms
of Judaism. People‘s livelihoods vary from hunter-gatherers, nomads, and agriculturalists to
factory workers and professors. Ethiopians speak eighty eight languages with 200 dialects, of
which Amharic is the lingua-franca of the country. Each group has some slight cultural
differences even from its nearest neighbors.

Aware and proud of these differences, Ethiopia‘s people have worked together. For the North-
east was the birth place of ―Lucy‖ or ―Dinkenesh‖ lived more than three million years ago and
her bones now lie at rest in the Ethiopian National Museum. This important archeological find
combined with many other prehistoric discoveries including Stone Age tools up to 1.7 million
years and vibrant cave paintings bears testimony to the regions remarkable antiquity. Recorded
history for the Ethiopian region also began at the early period. Three thousand years before the
birth of Christ the ancient Egyptians sent expeditions down the red sea in request of gold, ivory,
incense and slaves. They called this territory the ―Land of Punt‖. Although this term was used for
both sides of Red sea, most of the goods seem to have come from Ethiopian area.

2.6. The Main Sites of the Ethiopian Cultural Heritage

2.6.1. Yeha, Ethiopia’s earliest known capital

Ethiopia‘s earliest known Capital, Yeha is less than two hours‘ drive from Axum through some
dramatic highland scenery. As the birth place of the country‘s earliest high civilization, it is well
worth visiting. To reach there, every one head east for 20 kilometer to Adwa. Continue along the
main road towards Adigrat for another 24 kilometers and then turn to North on a short truck,
where you will see the imposing ruins of Yeha‘-Christians Temple to the Moon about 4
kilometers to the right of truck. The ruins of the large, pre-Christian temple, erected around the
5th century BC, consist of the single roofless oblong chamber 20 meters long by 15 meter wide.
The windows 10 meter high walls are built of smoothly polished stones; some of them more than

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3 meter long, carefully placed one atop the other without the use of mortar. Immediately beside
the tumble, the church of Abune Aftse is found. The church contains many crosses, old
manuscripts and stones bearing ancient sabaean inscriptions, which can be seen on request.

2.6.2. Axum Mysterious Monoliths

Although its very history is unkown, Ethiopia legends first recorded in the 14th century Kibre
Negest (Book of Kings) make of Axum the capital of the Queen of Sheba in the 10 th century BC.
It does seem certain that a high civilization was established here in Axum by immigrants from
southern Arabia in the centuries before the Christian era, and by the first century AD-the time of
the earliest historical records-Axum was well known to the Greek traders as a fine city and also
as the center of the considerable empire.

Rising to importance around the time of the birth of Christ, Axum was the capital city of the far-
reaching Axumite Kingdom, which dominated the vital crossroads of Africa and Asia for almost
a thousand years. Its principal ecclesiastical building, the church of St. Mary of Zion, is where,
according to Ethiopian legend, the Ark of the Covenant resides, within a special sanctuary
chapel. The Axumites introduced a universal written language, Geez and created a new imperial
power and political cohesion in this part of Africa. They also gave Ethiopia its first organized
religion Christianity in the 4th century AD.

Just north of the town square stand a number of famous obelisks, or monolithic steal, with which
Axum is widely identified. In ancient times there were seven of the monoliths of granites
standing together, but the biggest, which was the largest monolith in the world measuring over
33 meters and weighing about 500 tones fell at some remote period in the past, and now lies in
broken segments on the ground close to standing steal.

The second largest steal, about 24 meters high, had also fallen and it was looted during the
Italian Fascist occupation on the personal order of the Italian dictator Mussolini. It was taken to
Rome in 1937. Though eligible for return accordance with the Italian peace Treaty of 1947, it has
thus far not been repatriated, although Ethiopian scholars and patriots are now campaigning for
its return. The third largest steal, which is slightly smaller, measuring meters, still stands in
Axum.

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All seven giant steal are made of single pieces of granite and have identical decoration. Each was
erected in the center of a step platform of stone on terrace of polished limestone. At the base of
each standing steal is stone. At the base of each standing steal is a stone altar containing several
bowls shaped cavities, which it is thought served as receptacles for sacrificial offering to the
dead. Each steal resembles a tall slender, multi-storied house in the architectural style of the
Axumite houses and places, which had walls displaying an alternate recession and projection and
was made of alternating horizontal layers of stone and timber, with projecting ends of timber-
beams, technically called ‗monkey‘ heads, and flat roof surrounded by parapet/ramparts.

The steal are even decorated with representations of doors, windows, and, in some cases, door
handles. Riveted to the top at the front and back were inscribed metal ornaments in the form of
the pagan crescent and disc, symbols of the moon, with an arc at the top of the steal representing
the cosmic universe.

In addition these obelisks, there are a number of others of various degrees of excellence,
including many roughly hewn, undecorated, slabs of stones. To the left of the principal obelisks,
in the park of the steal, one can center the newly excavated tomb of Ramha, a former king of
Axum.

Also of great interest is Axum‘s church of Saint Mary of Zion. There are in fact two churches,
one old and one new, both located spacious walled compound directly opposite the park of steal.
The older, a spectacular battlemented building was put up in the early 17 th century by Emperor
Fasiledes, the founder of Gondar; the much more modern structure were erected nearby Emperor
Hailesilassie, who opened it in the company of Queen Elzabeth II of Great Britain in 1965. The
older structure, by far the more interesting of the two, is the guardian of many crowns of former
Ethiopian rulers and other valuables, which have been put in a small museum like building in the
compound. Unfortunately, the latter are two closed to women, who are, however, allowed to
inspect some of these treasures, which are carried to the edge of restricted areas for this purpose.

The church courtyard also contains many antiquities. These include sculpted stones, which
formed part of the old demolished church. Visitors may also the stone thrones on which the
monarchs of the past were crowned. Nearby is a small national museum, open to visitors on
payment of an entry fee, which houses a remarkable collection of antiquities. There are several

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stones bearing sabaean and Geez inscriptions, as well as many other artifacts, including clay
figurines that reveal the hair style current in ancient Axum.

From the museum it is a walk of less than half a minute to the ruins of the original church of
Saint Mary of Zion which, according to tradition, was erected soon after the advent of
Christianity as the state of religion in the early fourth century. This, or a later edifice in the place,
was described 12th centuries later by a visiting Portuguese priest, Francisco Alvares, but was
destroyed shortly afterwards by the Muslim conqueror Ahmed Gragn.

Also immense historical importance in Axum is trilingual inscription erected by the early 4th
century king Ezana to record his victories. It is written in three scripts, Sabaean, Geez and Greek,
and housed in a special constructed park in the center of town. On archeological interest near the
park is a tomb believed to be that king Bazen, who is said to have reigned at Axum at the time of
the birth of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps the greatest mystery about this strange and ancient city is the claim of that it is the last
resting place of the Aek of the Covenant a claim connected in Ethiopian tradition to legends of
Queen of Sheba and king Solomon, whose son Menelik I is said to have brought the Ark to
Axum some 3000 years ago and founded the Solomonic Dynasty of which Hailesilassie was the
last reigning emperor. The well-guarded sanctuary chapel of the Ark of the Covenant stands in
the town, which the visitor may approach but never hope to enter.

There are a number of sites associated by local folk with the Queen of Sheba herself. Amongst
these the most notable is a huge water reservoir, hewn out of solid rock, known as the Queen of
Sheba‘s which forms the focal point of the annual ceremony of Timket (Epiphany) in which,
each January, a replica of the Ark is carried out in procession.

Almost equally impressive are the ruins of the so-called Queen of Sheba‘s or Taakha Maryam,
which stands outskirts of town on the Gondar road. Of particular interest here are a still-intact
flagstone floor, thought to have been a throne room, and a number of stairwells, which hint at the
existence of at least one upper story. There are also private bathing areas of sophisticated design
and a well preserved kitchen dominated by two brick ovens.

Across the road in a field facing the palace, visitors may also inspect a number of rough-hewn
granite steal, some standing more than four meters high some fallen and broken. Most are
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undecorated but one, the largest is carved with four horizontal bands, each topped by a row of
circles in relief. This crude obelisk, much older than those in the park of steal is thought by the
town‘s people to mark the grave of Queen of Sheba. No excavation work has been carried out
beneath it, however, and the field in which it stands is now entirely given over to farmers, who
grow crops and graze their cattle there.

Another monument of great importance, about three kilometers away overlooking the dramatic
Adwa Mountains near which Emperor Menelik defeated the Italians in 1896 is square in plan and
measures about 60 meters on each side. The walls, which have long since crumbled, show signs
of having originally been projected at the corners to form four towers possibly the very towers
which, in the 6th century, the monk kosmos described as being adorned with brass unicorns.

Beneath the fortress, step stone stairways lead down into a number of underground galleries and
chambers, which are roofed and walled with massive dressed granite blocks that fit precisely
against one another without any mortar in the joints. Local tradition says this cool, dark warren
was once the treasury used by Emperor Caleb (514-542 AD) and also by his son Gebremesqel. It
is now known as the tomb of Gebre-Mesqel, with a torch, it is possible to see several empty
stone coffers, which still lie within-coffers believed to have once contained great riches in gold
and pearls. Further rooms, as yet unexcavated, extend into the hillside blocked off behind thick
granite walls.

Visitors with sufficient time to travel outside the town should not miss the lioness of Goba Dura,
a drawing of a lioness cut in relief on a large piece of stone at a village of that name. this is
located in an area around which the Axumities once quarried their stone. At one place on the
rack to the lioness one can clearly see a row of small holes made by the quarry workers in an
attempt to disengage a large block of granite. To reach the lioness, you retrace your tack four
kilometers towards Gondar and climber up the rough terrain; about a half-hour‘s walk.

2.6.3. Debre-Damo

Forty-eight kms from Axum along the main road to Adigrat will bring you to the village of
Inticho, and 25 kilometers beyond the village, the flat trooped mountain of Debre-Damo will
come into view on the left. The monastery, dates back to early Axumite times, is said to process
the oldest existing intact church in Ethiopia. Legend has it that Abune Aregawi, one of the Nine

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Saints who came from Syrian in the 6th century, while wondering at the foot of the cliff, judged
the plateau land above him was a suitable on which to solitary life. God, hearing his wish,
commanded a snake living on the mountain-top to stretch down and lift up the holy man, who
made Debre-Damo his abode.

The mountain, because of its virtual inaccessibility, was later made a place of detention for male
members of the Axumite royal dynasty, to prevent them from conspiring against the ruling
monarch. Subsequently, during the wars of Ahmed Gragn, Emperor Lebne-Dingel and hid
consort, Queen Seble-Wongel, by then fugitives, sought refuge on Debre-Damo, and it was there
that the unfortunate monarch died in 1540.

The visitor, lacking the kind, snake that helped the monasteries founder to ascented the
mountain, will have to go up with help of a rope lowered by the friendly monks, who will not,
however, allow women to enter. The summit, when eventually reached some twenty-four meters
later, offers panoramic views over the surrounding countryside and complete seclusion and pease
for the 100 pr so monks and deacons who live there. Though local people give food and supplies,
the monastic community is virtual self-sufficient, growing selected crops and rearing male ship
and goats the monastery also has its own reservoirs spectacular caverns hewn deep beneath the
surface of the cliff top centuries ago which provide the monks with water throughout the year.

Debre-Damo church, which is called after Abune Aregawi, is built in Axumite style. The beams
and ceilings of the ancient church, around which the monastery is built, are beautifully decorated
with carved wooden panels depicting lion, elephant rhinoceros, snakes, gazelle, antelope, giraffe,
and camels. Although there are no murals as such, a large number of paintings are preserved
there, including several that depict the legend of the foundation of Debre-Damo by Abune
Aregawi. The treasure secreted within, kept intact through country‘s 1,400 tumultuous years of
history because of that arduous, dangerous ascent, include an extensive collection of illuminated
manuscripts, among them the oldest surviving fragments of texts anywhere in Ethiopia. The
church now houses about fifty manuscripts, although the monks the monks claim that they
formerly possessed no less tha a thousand.

2.6.4. Lalibela: the eighth wonders of the world

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Lalībela, historical name Roha, religious and pilgrimage centre, north-central Ethiopia. Roha was
capital of the Zagwe dynasty. Zagwe dynasty, also spelled Zague, line of 12th- and 13th-century
Ethiopian kings who combined a nomadic military life with an impassioned desire to build
monuments to their Christian religion. Their tenuous pretensions to succession, based on a
legendary marriage to a daughter of one of the last Aksumite kings, the line they deposed, was
subsequently confirmed by the church; in return for its support, liberal royal endowments were
granted. Descended mainly from the Agau (Agaw, or Agew) people, the house of Zagwe
originated in the district of Bugna, and its kings moved the administrative capital to Roha (now
named Lalibela), in the safety of their native Lasta Mountains. The Zagwe kings ruled much of
what is now northern and central Ethiopia For about 300 years, was renamed for its most
distinguished monarch, Lalībela (late 12th–early 13th century), who, according to tradition, built
the 11 monolithic churches for which the place is famous. The 8th wonder of the world Lalibela
is designated as world Heritage site in 1978 by UNESCO, were hewn out of solid rock (entirely
below ground level) in a variety of styles. Generally, trenches were excavated in a rectangle,
isolating a solid granite block. The block was then carved both externally and internally, the
work proceeding from the top downward.

The churches are arranged in two main groups, connected by subterranean passageways. One
group, surrounded by a trench 11 metres deep, includes House of Emmanuel, House of
Mercurios, Abba Libanos, and House of Gabriel, all carved from a single rock hill. House of
Medhane Alem (―Saviour of the World‖) is the largest church, 33 metres long, 23 metres wide,
and 10 metres deep. House of Giyorgis, cruciform in shape, is carved from a sloping rock
terrace. House of Golgotha contains Lalībela‘s tomb, and House of Mariam is noted for its
frescoes. The interiors were hollowed out into naves and given vaulted ceilings.

The expert craftsmanship of the Lalībela churches has been linked with the earlier church of
Debre Damo near Aksum and tends to support the assumption of a well-developed Ethiopian
tradition of architecture. Emperor Lalībela had most of the churches constructed in his capital,
Roha, in the hope of replacing ancient Aksum as city of Ethiopian preeminence. Restoration
work in the 20th century indicated that some of the churches may have been used originally as
fortifications and royal residences.

2.6.5. Hayq St. Estifanos Abune Iyesus Moa communal monastery

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Hayik Estifanos Monastery is believed to be first founded as a church during the reign of
Emperor Dil Naod (916-926) by the Egyptian Aba Selama, who was the archbishop of the
Ethiopian Orthodox Church and later elevated to a monastery in the 13th century. It is one of the
most historically iconic and paramount monasteries in Ethiopia.

The monastery houses different priceless antiquities donated by different Emperors, holy articles,
and several parchment manuscripts, different stones and wooden carved tablets that are displayed
in the museum. Taking a look at the lake stretched surrounding the monastery, the attractive
natural landscape, birds flying down to the lake in search of their food and to the trees and
flocking over the lake and fishers‘ stylish rowing over the water together make visitors feel an
exceptionally splendid pleasure.

Recently the number of domestic and foreign tourists coming to the site is increasing. Hence,
there are currently two standardized recreational resorts giving services by the shore of the lake.
The monastery lies on the peninsula and can be reached on foot from the town. Women are not
permitted to enter the monastery but may visit the adjacent nunnery of Margebeta Giorgis, which
was reputedly founded about 800 years ago.

In the monastery there are both movable and immovable cultural tourism resources. The church
museum, old houses, indigenous trees, and handicrafts are among the cultural tourism resources
of the monastery. However in this article I tried to elucidate the most pivotal heritages of the
monastery.

The church museum is situated within the churchyard and in the eastern part of the church. It was
constructed in 1999 E.C and the treasures were transferred from the treasure house to the newly
built museum in 2000 E.C. It is one story building. Meanwhile it is a museum building, only the
first or the ground floor used as repository and displays the material heritages, where as the
upper floor is served as an office. The two floors are connected with stair and there is a balcony
in the upper floor. The wall of the museum is built from stone and mortar and its roof is covered
with corrugated iron sheet. The door and its widows are made from Iron sheet. The ground floor
which the antiquities are displayed has only one section. Despite the fact that women are not
allowed enter into and visit the museum, it became accessible through electronic device in the
guest house that built outside the churchyard.

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The museum collections are various collections which have been made from organic and
inorganic materials, and almost all are ecclesiastical. The lion shares of the collections are
parchment books. The church was one of the hub of church education since its establishment,
thus those monks who had come to the monastery to continue their education wrote different
religious, philosophical and astronomical books. Now days there are more than 140 parchment
books within the museum. Some of these are not found elsewhere both in the country and
abroad. Some of these parchment manuscripts are collected from 9th to 20th century in different
area in fact most of them were written and copied within the monastery by different the then
church scholars. As illustrated above the entire book collections in the museum are parchment
which made from the skin of animals particularly from goat skin and write by hand. To write the
manuscripts they used to red and black ink, which was prepared from different plant leaves,
flowers, soils and cereals. To accomplish a single book it could takes half a year or more. The
inner sheets of many of those books are adorned with various paintings of saints, prophets,
martyrs, angels, Jesus Christ and Holy Virgin Mary.

Paintings of St. George and St. Mary with her beloved son are found in one the inner page of
parchment book. There is very astonishing painting of St. Mary with her beloved son and Martyr
St. Georg which is painted with in the parchment in different pages. The other stunning heritage
in the museum is pulpits. These pulpits are made from one pieces of wood and it can be folded
and opened. They are served for the reading of holy books which are very cumbersome for
handling.

Crowns are other collections in the museum. They are made from gold silver and bronze. In the
museum there are five crowns gifted by different emperors of Ethiopia. They are decorated with
different design and have different sizes. Almost there is a cross over the upper tip of each
crown. This signified that the then emperors were adherent Christian and had strong intimacy
with church. In some of the crowns there are inscriptions which revealed that it belongs to the
emperor. The crosses in the museum there are various crosses that display in different show
cases. They are made from different materials, gold, silver, brass and wood. They are hand and
processional crosses. Regarding their style there are Axumite, Lalibela and Gondarian. Different
words and pictures are inscribed on some of the crosses which increase its beauty and show the

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ability of the then artisans. They are hand over to the church by different kings, dignitaries,
nobles, bishop and priests.

The above stones were used to offer their sacrifice to the serpent by the inhabitant of the island
before they were converted to Christianity by Aba selama (illuminator) the second in the 9th
century. They offered milk and the blood of animals as sacrifices. This show that until that
period Christianity was not propagated to the vicinity and the people worship the serpent.

The other stone which is shown in the right side was used for grinding grain. Before the
introduction of electric mill Ethiopians had been used manual stone mill and thus this is a living
witness of that period. According to my informant, Abune Teklhaymanot and Aba Giworgis of
Gascha; the most notable Ethiopian saints, were grinding grain to the church community when
they were in the monastery.

Within the museum there is a big pot which had been used for cooking. The age of this pot is
goes back to 13th and 14th century. It was used for cooking grain for the monks and hermits who
resides in the monastery. Abune Tekhaymanot, Aba Giorgis of Gascha and Aba Iyesus moa were
among the famous saints who had used the pot while they were in the monastery.

The other types of heritages are icons. The icons are hanged on the wall of the museum. They are
diptych and triptych. The image of Saint Mary with her beloved son is depicted in one of the
icons and other saints are depicted on other folds of the wooden plate. They have a potential to
grasp the attention of any visitors. Because despite they were made five century ago they deemed
recent and new. The image of holy trinity, Saint Mary and other saints are depicted on the
wooden plate. However, it is affected by fire accidents and some of its bottom part is damaged.

The frames of each panel are carved from a single indigenous and well refined wood. These
wooden panels were jointed together by using leather string instead of metal hinge by drilling at
the junction of the two panels.

As it has been said, the monastery is very old and historic. Since then there were many houses
that had been used for various services apart from the church. But many of them had destroyed in
different period and currently there are two historic houses only.

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It is situated in the eastern side of the church and has rectangular in shape. According to my
informant Aba Birhane Hewt this historic house is said to have been built while the monastery
was established in the 13th century. However it was reconstructed in the later period for many
times and the final reconstruction was conducted during the reign of Emperor HaileSillase.

The house has been using as a kitchen; Abune Iyesus Moa, the founding father and Abune
Teklhaymant one of his famous fellow were cook grain and prepared food to other monks in this
historic houses. The house was built from wood, mud and stone while its roof was covered by
grass. It has five wooden windows and two wooden doors. The interior part has two sections and
in one of the interior section there are two erected timbers which had been used as pillar of the
house and now testify the oldness of the house.

But currently some part of the exterior wall is covered by cement as it has seen in the picture
below. The roof is also changed and covered by corrugated iron sheet meanwhile its function is
still unchanged. In the monastery there is division of labor, but all monks consumed the same
types of food without considering status and age. Those monks who take the responsibility of
food preparation cook the meal to the entire monks is in this historic house and every monk
except the aged took the allotted food there.

Another historic house in the churchyard is located in the north east side of the church and south
west of the museum. Its wall is fully constructed from plank wood and its roof is covered with
corrugated iron sheet. The wood which the wall is made has different color. As it is clearly seen
in the picture the front part is red and the remaining is whit. Different dignitaries had been buried
in the interior section and still it is reserved. Ras Wolla, who was the husband of Queen Zewditu
and notable noble during the reign of Emperor Menelik, who lost his life while he was fighting
with Teferi Mekonen, the future Emperor Hailesilasse was buried in this historic house.

But no one can tell the exact year when the house was built. It is not open for visitors; in fact the
monks could not consider the house as an attraction. It is one of the forgotten heritages in the
monastery and demanded conservation and maintenance work.

In the west side of the church there is a bell tower which is made from iron. In the bottom of the
tower the historic stone bell is hanged. This bell has been using as an alarm to monks to weak up
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to church services. It is rectangular in shape and produced different sounds when it is struck.
This type of bell is not found elsewhere unless in some historic churches of Ethiopia.

Lake Hayq is another natural tourism attraction of the monastery. It is one of the fresh water
lakes in Ethiopia. It is 6.7 km long and 6 km wide and a maximum depth of 88 meter (Museum
Buklet). The lake is surrounded the monastery and enhance the beauty of the environment in
general and the church in particular. The Lake is serving for various activities such as fishing and
boat driving and recreational activities. Until 1976 the monastery was found in the island
meanwhile following the retreatment of the lake after the stated year it is changed to peninsula
However, currently the size of the water is shrinks ing alarmingly than the previous period due to
the variation of the rainfall in the area, agricultural encroachment and expansion of lodge
construction near to the lake/the lake is not a culutural/religious/heritage and less relevant to the
issue, better to take it to description of the study area.

2.6.6. Debre-Libanos

Debre Libanos is an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo monastery, lying northwest of Addis Ababa
in the North Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region. It was founded in 1284 by Saint Tekle
Haymanot as Debre Asebot and was renamed as Debre Libanos in the 15th century. He
meditated in a cave above the current monastery for 29 years. The present church was built in
1961 by Haile Selassie, against the wishes of the local priests, after hearing prophesy that a new
church would ensure a long reign.

The church is monumental and pretty awful on the outside, but the stained-glass windows are
attractive. Debre Libanos has one of the most interesting church museums in Ethiopia. Besides
the usual ecclesiastical items there are Italian guns, giant cooking pots, crowns of past emperors
and their wives, musical instruments and an old wooden shackle. Fifteen minutes up the hill from
the monastery is the cave of Tekla Haimanot (the monastery's founder), where the saint is said to
have done all his praying. It‘s also the source of Debre Libanos' famed holy water.

A monument in front of the church memorializes the hundreds of innocent priests, deacons and
worshipers who were massacred here by the Italians following an assassination attempt on the
notoriously brutal viceroy Graziani in 1937 (he was later imprisoned by the Italians as a war
criminal for crimes against humanity).

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2.6.7. Debre-Birhan Silassie of Shewa

Debre-Birhan has a remarkable city in early history. The settlement was founded by one of
Ethiopian,s most important, early rulers, Emperior Zera Yaecob (1434-1468), when at night
compatriots saw a heavenly light over the area. This vision, which was vividly described by old
Ethiopian authors, was almost certainly Haley‘s comet, which appeared in 1456, in the latter part
of Zera-Yacob,s reign.

Zara Yacob, accordingly to his chronicle, thereupon decided to make the place his permanent
residence and named it Debre-Birhan, meaning ―mountain of light‖. He accordingly ordered him
chief and nobles to collect wild alive trees and other woods for the construction of palace a stout
surrounding wall, the likes of which no previous ruler had ever erected. The monarch spent much
of his time in this palace, and it was there that he must have carried out many of the
governmental and religious reforms for which he is remembered. In the vicinity of his palace he
also built a fine church, which was fitted, the chronicle proudly claims, with a ―strong lock‖
perhaps an innovation of the time.

After Zara-Yaecob had lived at Debre-Birhan for ‗a long time‘ a major epidemic broke out,
killing many people in the capital. The emperor, remembering a divine promise that the disease
could not a place of worship, thereupon erected a new church, called Bete-Qirqos, whereupon
the epidemic was checked and failed to approach the palace. Though beloved by Zara-Yaecob,
the town was abandoned by monarch‘s son and successor, Beide-Mariam, who chose another
capital, after which his father‘s palace and other buildings at Debre-Birhan soon fell to ruin. The
settlement was not heard of forever two centuries, until a successful Shewan chief called Negasi
made his residence. Debre-Birhan was, however, later used by several of his successors, notably
by king Sahile-Silassie (1813-1847), who had a fine palace there in which he spent several
months of a year.

The town was subsequently almost destroyed when the reforming emperor Tewdros advanced
into Shewa in 1855. On that occasion Sahile-Silassie son and successor, King Haile-Melkot,
ordered that his father‘s place should be burnt to the ground. Menilik, the founder of modern
Ethiopia, later resided at Debre-Birhan on several occasions. He was so pleased with area that he
ordered the construction in 1865 of a new capital at a nearby place called Liche, five kilometers
to the north-east, but, under from then emperor, Yohannes IV, soon abandoned it in favor of
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Debre-Birhan. For several years Menilk considered the latter his capital but later moved to
nearby Ankober, Liche, though abandoned almost immediately after his establishment, is still the
site of many stately ruins about ten minutes‘ drive from the road.

Because of its location on the main trade route to the north, Debre-Birhan has remained a road-
side town of considerable importance. The Selassie church was rebuilt by Emperor Menilek in
1906 and contains many mural paintings. David Buxton believes that it was inevitable that Debre
Berhan would regain importance, "Although a somewhat cold and inhospitable place," he writes
about the town, "it has an obvious advantage as commanding what must always have been an
important focus of routes.

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