| Haile Selassie I Appeal To The League Of Nations "Apart from the Kingdom of the Lord there is not on this earth any nation that is superior to any other.... More |
Living history in Ethiopia
November 8, 2008
Ties to ancient Israel run deep in the home of the Queen of Sheba,
where Christianity came early and the churches are ancient and
unique
8 November, 2008 | Melissa Burdick Harmon
Special to the Sun
________________________________
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - The Queen of Sheba's palace isn't what it
used to be. Its roof is long gone. Its grand entrance is but a memory.
Yet the 3,000-year-old ruins remain, sprawling over thin-grassed farm
fields in Axum -- once the capital of a great world power and today a
dusty Ethiopian town where cows and children, goats and donkeys
roam free.
The Queen lived well. It is still possible to stride across her vast
flagstone-floored throne room, just one of 50 excavated chambers. The
sophisticated drainage system features fish-shaped granite gargoyles.
Several brick ovens line the large kitchen, and multiple stairwells
indicate that there were many more rooms above.
Here, according to Ethiopians, a great dynasty was born. And, as all
great dynasties should, this one begins with a love story. As they tell it,
the Queen of Sheba left Ethiopia only once, to visit King Solomon in
Jerusalem. Solomon, despite being married, became smitten with the
beautiful Queen. She reciprocated his desire and upon her return to
Axum she gave birth to his son, Menelik.
Menelik I took the throne when his mother died, roughly a thousand
years before the birth of Christ, and began a line of Solomonic rulers
that endured with only a brief interruption until Emperor Haile Selassie,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords, was deposed 31 years ago.
Menelik I is also, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox church,
responsible for that country's possessing the greatest relic of the Judeo-
Christian tradition. It seems that the king went to visit his father, and
somehow brought back the original Ark of the Covenant, previously
kept in the great temple in Jerusalem.
The Ark is believed to hold the original tablets containing the Ten
Commandments that God handed to Moses on Mount Sinai, and it is
now said to be kept in Axum's Church of St. Mary of Zion. Only one
elderly monk guards this treasure, which no one else may see.
St. Mary of Zion is one of thousands of Christian churches that dot the
Ethiopian landscape. Christianity came early to Axum, and soon after A.
D. 300 this new faith became the country's official religion. It has
evolved little over the years, and its vivid churches are unlike any found
elsewhere in the world.
Axum today shows much and hides much. Only about three per cent of
this once vast city has been excavated. Kids routinely pull ancient coins
from farm fields. It is a place rich with the feeling of unsolved
mysteries.
In fact, mysteries and miracles abound all along Ethiopia's Historic
Route, with each of the three remaining stops reflecting a different era
in the county's rich life.
called the "Eighth Wonder of the World." Like the monoliths at Axum,
they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And, according to legend,
they were each carved out of a single piece of rock at record speed, "as
angels worked on them during the night."
The churches, many carved in deep trenches with only their roofs
exposed, others cut directly into the rocks of caves, are all connected
by a labyrinthine series of tunnels, paths and steep steps. Each has been
used continuously since the beginning of the 13th century. Most are
decorated with a Star of David, underscoring the church's close kinship
with King Solomon. One displays a very old painting of a black Jesus.
If the rock churches of Lalibela impress with their stark simplicity, the
29 churches and monasteries scattered over the islands of Lake Tana,
headwaters of the Blue Nile River, delight with their vivid paintings in
primary colours.
Abba Hailemariam Genetu, Head Priest at Azwah Maryam -- a circular
church with a grass roof, located on an isolated peninsula -- greets
visitors.
"This church," he says, "dates back to the 14th century. It is younger
than most."
The handsome Abba, or Father, Genetu, speaks a Semitic language
related to Hebrew, doesn't eat pork and performs ritual circumcision.
He, like all Ethiopian Orthodox, practices a Christianity that is older,
closer to Judaism, and far more exotic -- complete with ritual dancing
and drumming -- than you'll find anywhere in North America.
His remote church was constructed to protect the faith, but also to
reserve Ethiopia's ancient religious treasures -- ornate silver and bronze
crosses, prayer sticks that recall Moses' staff and centuries-old
illuminated manuscripts.
The church walls are covered with paintings which, over time, have
also become treasures. One shows the child Jesus zooming down a
board from a second story window, while less sacred children, who
have tried and failed, lie scattered around the ground. Others illustrate
the Holy Trinity: three identical dark-skinned, white-haired, white-
bearded men.
If the rock churches are marvels of construction, and the churches of
Lake Tana delight with their vivid paintings, the castles of Gondar
simply astonish. Getchu Eshetu, my guide throughout Ethiopia, calls
this site "Africa's Camelot," and he does not overstate the case. This
palace complex looks as though it has been airlifted from medieval
Europe.
A Yemeni merchant who visited in 1648 wrote that it was "one of the
most marvelous of buildings" he had ever seen, mentioning rooms
trimmed in ivory and jewels, courtiers in fine brocade and thrones
embroidered in gold.
Succeeding rulers constructed their own palaces. The 18th-century
Empress Mentewab built a lovely one, where it is said she hosted
Scotsman James Bruce (for five years!) when he came through
searching for the headwaters of the Nile.
Other Europeans were less kind to the castles. Mussolini's Italians,
who occupied Ethiopia from 1935 to 1941, used them as barracks.
The British found out and bombed the buildings. Restoration is a
slow process in a poor country, yet much of the complex remains,
a reminder of the days when Gondar ruled a great empire.
As travellers complete the historic circle, it becomes abundantly clear
that this mountainous country in the Horn of Africa contains treasures
that should be on every history buff's wish list. Someday they will be,
but for now it's still possible -- and lovely -- to experience Ethiopia's
great sites without being jostled by hoards of tourists.
_________
ACCOMMODATIONS IN ETHIOPIA
Addis Ababa, the capital city and jumpin off point for tours, offers
several luxury hotels:
Sheraton Addis, a member of the chain's luxury collection, is one of the
finest hotels in Africa. Its vast pool and gardens, excellent shops and
Italian, Indian and fine dining restaurants make it a lovely oasis in a
sometimes chaotic city. Doubles from $181 US a night. 888-625-4988
or 011-251-1-171717; www.starwoodhotels.com; Taitu Street, Box
6002, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Hilton Addis Ababa, on six hectares in the heart of the city,
features a heated pool, four tennis courts and a spa (where a one-hour
massage costs roughly $8.50). The hotel has a vast array of shops and
restaurants, and rooms complete with balconies. Doubles from $151 a
night. 800-HILTONS or 011-251-1-518400; www.hilton.com; corner
of Menelik II Avenue, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Ghion Hotels, a chain run by the Ethiopian government, are the best
available on the Historic Route. They are well located (on the shore of
Lake Tana, on a hill overlooking Axum, for example), but the
accommodations tend to be rather simple. Prices vary, and will be
included in tour packages. Phone: 011-251-1-1513-222; Ghion Hotels
Enterprise, Res Desta Damteu Ave., Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Be sure to sample Ethiopian cuisine, typically a fermented, sponge-like
pancake called injera, topped by a spicy stew called wat. The hotels on
the Historic Route, however, are accustomed to catering to western
tastes, serving up fresh fish, chicken and spaghetti. Save your fine-
dining appetite for meals at the Hilton or the Sheraton, at journey's end.
Melissa Burdick Harmon served as travel editor of Biography
Magazine and its predecessor, A&E Monthly, for 12 years.
Courtesy
November 8, 2008
Ties to ancient Israel run deep in the home of the Queen of Sheba,
where Christianity came early and the churches are ancient and
unique
8 November, 2008 | Melissa Burdick Harmon
Special to the Sun
________________________________
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - The Queen of Sheba's palace isn't what it
used to be. Its roof is long gone. Its grand entrance is but a memory.
Yet the 3,000-year-old ruins remain, sprawling over thin-grassed farm
fields in Axum -- once the capital of a great world power and today a
dusty Ethiopian town where cows and children, goats and donkeys
roam free.
The Queen lived well. It is still possible to stride across her vast
flagstone-floored throne room, just one of 50 excavated chambers. The
sophisticated drainage system features fish-shaped granite gargoyles.
Several brick ovens line the large kitchen, and multiple stairwells
indicate that there were many more rooms above.
Here, according to Ethiopians, a great dynasty was born. And, as all
great dynasties should, this one begins with a love story. As they tell it,
the Queen of Sheba left Ethiopia only once, to visit King Solomon in
Jerusalem. Solomon, despite being married, became smitten with the
beautiful Queen. She reciprocated his desire and upon her return to
Axum she gave birth to his son, Menelik.
Menelik I took the throne when his mother died, roughly a thousand
years before the birth of Christ, and began a line of Solomonic rulers
that endured with only a brief interruption until Emperor Haile Selassie,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords, was deposed 31 years ago.
Menelik I is also, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox church,
responsible for that country's possessing the greatest relic of the Judeo-
Christian tradition. It seems that the king went to visit his father, and
somehow brought back the original Ark of the Covenant, previously
kept in the great temple in Jerusalem.
The Ark is believed to hold the original tablets containing the Ten
Commandments that God handed to Moses on Mount Sinai, and it is
now said to be kept in Axum's Church of St. Mary of Zion. Only one
elderly monk guards this treasure, which no one else may see.
St. Mary of Zion is one of thousands of Christian churches that dot the
Ethiopian landscape. Christianity came early to Axum, and soon after A.
D. 300 this new faith became the country's official religion. It has
evolved little over the years, and its vivid churches are unlike any found
elsewhere in the world.
- This town's greatest
attractions, however, are not
its churches,
but its stelae -- towering
obelisks piercing the bright
blue sky,
the largest nine stories tall
and cut from a single piece
of granite.
An even taller one, the height
of a 13-storey building and
weighing some 500 tonnes,
lies on its side, broken. It fell,
according to a written
account, in about 850 AD.
Each stele has an altar for
sacrificial offerings and a
false door. No one knows
exactly when or why they
were built. Some say they
were meant to house spirits.
Axum today shows much and hides much. Only about three per cent of
this once vast city has been excavated. Kids routinely pull ancient coins
from farm fields. It is a place rich with the feeling of unsolved
mysteries.
In fact, mysteries and miracles abound all along Ethiopia's Historic
Route, with each of the three remaining stops reflecting a different era
in the county's rich life.
called the "Eighth Wonder of the World." Like the monoliths at Axum,
they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And, according to legend,
they were each carved out of a single piece of rock at record speed, "as
angels worked on them during the night."
The churches, many carved in deep trenches with only their roofs
exposed, others cut directly into the rocks of caves, are all connected
by a labyrinthine series of tunnels, paths and steep steps. Each has been
used continuously since the beginning of the 13th century. Most are
decorated with a Star of David, underscoring the church's close kinship
with King Solomon. One displays a very old painting of a black Jesus.
- It is a remarkable place, as priests and
monks in brilliant brocade vestments carry
on a religious life that has gone on here,
hidden among the hills and caves, for
nearly a thousand years.
If the rock churches of Lalibela impress with their stark simplicity, the
29 churches and monasteries scattered over the islands of Lake Tana,
headwaters of the Blue Nile River, delight with their vivid paintings in
primary colours.
Abba Hailemariam Genetu, Head Priest at Azwah Maryam -- a circular
church with a grass roof, located on an isolated peninsula -- greets
visitors.
"This church," he says, "dates back to the 14th century. It is younger
than most."
The handsome Abba, or Father, Genetu, speaks a Semitic language
related to Hebrew, doesn't eat pork and performs ritual circumcision.
He, like all Ethiopian Orthodox, practices a Christianity that is older,
closer to Judaism, and far more exotic -- complete with ritual dancing
and drumming -- than you'll find anywhere in North America.
His remote church was constructed to protect the faith, but also to
reserve Ethiopia's ancient religious treasures -- ornate silver and bronze
crosses, prayer sticks that recall Moses' staff and centuries-old
illuminated manuscripts.
The church walls are covered with paintings which, over time, have
also become treasures. One shows the child Jesus zooming down a
board from a second story window, while less sacred children, who
have tried and failed, lie scattered around the ground. Others illustrate
the Holy Trinity: three identical dark-skinned, white-haired, white-
bearded men.
If the rock churches are marvels of construction, and the churches of
Lake Tana delight with their vivid paintings, the castles of Gondar
simply astonish. Getchu Eshetu, my guide throughout Ethiopia, calls
this site "Africa's Camelot," and he does not overstate the case. This
palace complex looks as though it has been airlifted from medieval
Europe.
- In fact, the castle construction was
begun by Emperor Fasiladas in
1632, when he declared the town of
Gondar to be Ethiopia's first official
capital.
His brown basalt palace was
assembled using mortar and boasts
four domed towers and battlements.
A Yemeni merchant who visited in 1648 wrote that it was "one of the
most marvelous of buildings" he had ever seen, mentioning rooms
trimmed in ivory and jewels, courtiers in fine brocade and thrones
embroidered in gold.
Succeeding rulers constructed their own palaces. The 18th-century
Empress Mentewab built a lovely one, where it is said she hosted
Scotsman James Bruce (for five years!) when he came through
searching for the headwaters of the Nile.
Other Europeans were less kind to the castles. Mussolini's Italians,
who occupied Ethiopia from 1935 to 1941, used them as barracks.
The British found out and bombed the buildings. Restoration is a
slow process in a poor country, yet much of the complex remains,
a reminder of the days when Gondar ruled a great empire.
As travellers complete the historic circle, it becomes abundantly clear
that this mountainous country in the Horn of Africa contains treasures
that should be on every history buff's wish list. Someday they will be,
but for now it's still possible -- and lovely -- to experience Ethiopia's
great sites without being jostled by hoards of tourists.
_________
ACCOMMODATIONS IN ETHIOPIA
Addis Ababa, the capital city and jumpin off point for tours, offers
several luxury hotels:
Sheraton Addis, a member of the chain's luxury collection, is one of the
finest hotels in Africa. Its vast pool and gardens, excellent shops and
Italian, Indian and fine dining restaurants make it a lovely oasis in a
sometimes chaotic city. Doubles from $181 US a night. 888-625-4988
or 011-251-1-171717; www.starwoodhotels.com; Taitu Street, Box
6002, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Hilton Addis Ababa, on six hectares in the heart of the city,
features a heated pool, four tennis courts and a spa (where a one-hour
massage costs roughly $8.50). The hotel has a vast array of shops and
restaurants, and rooms complete with balconies. Doubles from $151 a
night. 800-HILTONS or 011-251-1-518400; www.hilton.com; corner
of Menelik II Avenue, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Ghion Hotels, a chain run by the Ethiopian government, are the best
available on the Historic Route. They are well located (on the shore of
Lake Tana, on a hill overlooking Axum, for example), but the
accommodations tend to be rather simple. Prices vary, and will be
included in tour packages. Phone: 011-251-1-1513-222; Ghion Hotels
Enterprise, Res Desta Damteu Ave., Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Be sure to sample Ethiopian cuisine, typically a fermented, sponge-like
pancake called injera, topped by a spicy stew called wat. The hotels on
the Historic Route, however, are accustomed to catering to western
tastes, serving up fresh fish, chicken and spaghetti. Save your fine-
dining appetite for meals at the Hilton or the Sheraton, at journey's end.
Melissa Burdick Harmon served as travel editor of Biography
Magazine and its predecessor, A&E Monthly, for 12 years.
Courtesy
| All rights reserved. |
| Ethio Quest News Together We Can Make It! |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Ethio Quest News: For latest Ethiopian News, views, Reviews and More |
| Alemayehu Gemeda of Ethio Tube and Google Ethiopia " I am nowhere near the great Ethiopian inventor Engineer Ayana Birru.....More |
| Adwa " After Adwa, Ethiopia became emblematic of African valour and resistance, the bastion of prestige and hope to thousands of Africans who were experiencing the full..." More |
| A moment of euphoria and grief for Ethiopia " We just could not figure out the possible response of those who tried hard to alienate portion of Ethiopians from a rightful entitlement to such a..." More Ethiopia unveils ancient obelisk Aksum obelisk successfully reinstalled Africa's Unique Cultures, ancient faith coexist in Ethiopia What a dubious archaeological finding? " A genuine scholar of history cannot separate ancient Ethiopia and Egypt. Racists have flatly asserted that ancient Egyptians were whites and distorted the development of history in the Nile Valley." More Lost Ark of the Covenant 'traced to Ethiopia' "The Old Testament recounts that Moses, on leading the Israelites from Egypt, received the Ten Commandments " More Queen of Sheba's Palace Discovered in Ethiopia Birth of an Empire Abba Paulos: Smash the idols |
| The sacred and sublime in Ethiopia Globe and Mail |