Archaeology handicrafts and science and technology sites to visit Ethiopia

The necropolis of these Axumite kings dates back to the ^6th century. These burial chambers were once surmounted by a pyramidal edifice covered by a tumulus. King Kaleb's tomb is composed of blocks and three chambers. That of Gabra Masqal, his son, consists of five funerary chambers on which are carved elephants and several crosses. The tomb still contains sarcophagi. Legend has it that a tunnel more than 180 km long links this sanctuary to Eritrea!

Discovered in 1935 by archaeologist Johnsen, the Tututi site lies to the south of Dila. After 22 km, a track climbs to the right and leads to the site after 4 km. Currently considered to be the megalithic site with the largest number of stelae in Ethiopia, Tututi could be, according to studies by French professor Anfray, the most important site of its kind in the world. The Tuto Fela site can be reached via a 3 km track starting to the left of the road, 15 km south of Dila.
Several other sites, of which Gollecha 55 km south of Dila is the most important, feature similar steles.

History. Numerous stelae have been erected in the Rift Valley region of southern Ethiopia, the anthropomorphic stelae of Gedeo country in particular, as well as thousands of phallic stelae in Sidamo. It's understood that these monuments date back to historical times, but their origins remain a mystery. As the populations settled in these territories have no oral tradition of such funerary steles, it would appear that they were erected by two distinct civilizations, between the ^8th and ^11th centuries, with no connection to the current occupants. The Gedeo, who share similarities with their Sidama neighbors who also erected phallic stelae, have preserved ancestral beliefs linked to a sky god, Mageno. It is known that some Oromo tribes continue to erect funerary monoliths around tombs or at some distance from them, but it seems that, as with the waga of the Konso, these monuments are reserved for certain people, heroes or reckless hunters, rather than for a god.

The Tututi site is home to more than 2,100 stelae spread over 3 hectares, the most imposing of which reach 8 m in height. Amidst those still standing, a multitude of others are lying, broken or buried, scattered among the crops and even in the enclosures of the dwellings. Here, all the steles are identical in their phallic shape, highlighted by a horizontal groove at the upright end of the shaft.

Tuto Fela site. This megalithic site comprises 217 stelae erected on a large stone tumulus, 200 of which are anthropomorphic and the others phallic. Following the discovery of the site in 1931, studies and excavations carried out by the team of French professor Roger Joussaume unearthed human bones that seemed to confirm the funerary symbolism of the monuments. Most of the cylindrical stone shafts bear the representation of a schematic face at their end, while others are engraved with geometric motifs that may have a feminine symbolism.

Odola Galma, Soka Dibicha and Godana Kinjo sites. The other archaeological wealth of the Gédéo region lies in the rocks engraved with animal motifs. These sites, located a few kilometers apart on the banks of the Anshi Macho river, group together some fifteen engraved blocks. Access is via a 25 km track, which begins 3 km to the left south of Dila and can be difficult to negotiate. According to Professors Anfray and Joussaume, specialists in these sites, these representations of cattle, clearly identifiable by their horns, could date back four thousand years and give an indication of societies that undertook the domestication of cattle.

After 7 km on the road south of town, turn left at the "Gore Water Supply Treatment Plant" sign to reach the village of Becho, 13 km along a track that is difficult in places. The Hotel Baranagash is a good address for organizing the expedition. From here, an hour's walk or horseback ride will take you to the waterfalls in the heart of a beautiful forest: plunging more than 30 m, they are ranked among the most beautiful in the country. The excursion takes a good half-day, or more depending on trail conditions.

Entrance fees and guides must be paid at the park office in Jinka. Scouts and guides are obligatory to accompany visitors (one of each per group) to the best wildlife observation sites and Mursi villages. The Mago Park headquarters, 30 km from Jinka, is located overlooking the Neri River. The Mursi villages located between 60 and 100 km from the park headquarters change location regularly. Once past the village gate, new arrivals are immediately snapped up by the Mursi, who are all looking to negotiate their image for 5 or 10 birrs! Unfortunately, this is the tribe most perverted by tourism. It's essential to agree on the price of each shot (you can negotiate for 5 birrs), and above all beware of trying to "steal" photos! If nothing seems to discourage tourists eager to discover this mythical ethnic group, it's not impossible that some feel uncomfortable faced with the ardor of these warriors with whom it seems pointless to establish any form of communication. It's best to leave your camera in the car for a while, and above all to visit the most remote villages, which are obviously the least visited, even if access to them means enduring particularly chaotic tracks. Despite the temperature, we advise you to wear long clothing to avoid being bitten by tsetse flies, which sometimes swarm in these parts during the rainy season. Their presence has the advantage of keeping natives and their herds away from the protected areas of the park. To avoid exiting the park via Jinka, it is possible to take the Murlé trail and visit the Karo villages along the way, and from there reach Turmi or Omoraté. Of course, this route can also be taken in the opposite direction. In both cases, it is advisable to check on the condition of the tracks, which are always very uneven, before embarking on this excursion.

Smart tip. The nearest Mursi camps are the most visited, and interaction is sometimes complicated because money is at the center of everything. Push on a little further to get to a little-visited village, even if it means losing a few hours - you haven't come this far to worry about that! If you continue even further, you can also visit the Bodi.

A small river crossing on a pirogue, a guide and entrance to the village are all included. The Dassanech are unique in the region, but the interaction is rather focused on birrs and photos, and the guide doesn't always know their traditions well, which is a pity. The village is very isolated on the Kenyan border, and it takes half a day to get there and back from Turmi. So if you really want to do it, you'll need to take your time.

The guides know these villages of the Arboré ethnic group, where tourists are permitted. It's interesting to discover the life of this tribe, whose traditions are very particular and different from those of neighboring ethnic groups. They are immediately recognizable by the large, colorful beaded necklaces worn by their women. Not to be confused with the Nyangatom, who also have beaded necklaces, but quite different from those of the Arboré.

Discover the famous traditional huts of this people. The original finesse of their construction, in the shape of a huge beehive, will delight architecture enthusiasts. The Dorzé community is also home to a cooperative of twenty-eight weavers. All kinds of beautifully crafted scarves are on sale, as are small handicrafts ranging from horn spoons to six-string lyres. A very nice visit, a very warm welcome, a real "coup de coeur".

Of the three alkaline volcanoes in the region, El Soda ("the house of salt") is the only one easily accessible. The village overlooks a crater more than 100 m deep, at the bottom of which is the oil-black circle of the lake, which can be reached by a half-hour walk. The ascent is much more strenuous, requiring at least 1 hour. Depending on the season and water temperature, the men start work earlier or later in the morning. Before embarking on the excursion, make sure that the salt harvest has begun.

Shappe is the most impressive of the prehistoric rock carving sites in Dila, but nearby Laga Harro is also worth a combined visit. Located in an unmarked wilderness area, a guide is essential to get there. You'll find one at the Oromia District Office, 7 km from Dilla near the village of Guangua on the Shappe road. It's also here that you must pay an entrance fee per car. Negotiate a guide for two or three sites while you're at it, as the stones don't speak for themselves and the road to Shappe is complicated. The centerpiece of this site of prehistoric engravings is a fresco depicting seventy cows in motion at the edge of a cliff and a river. Partially destroyed, it is thought to be between three and five thousand years old; it's hard to say, as it hasn't revealed all its mysteries and, to tell the truth, no one has looked into it until now. It is, however, unique in that the drawings have a singular style, with small heads, large horns and large udders full of milk. In 2000, local archaeologist Gizachew Abegaz discovered two new, equally mysterious engraving sites nearby. These include Laga Harro, which features six engraved cows and two human figures, one with a penis cover and the other jumping above the cows as during the Oukouli ceremony among the Hamer in the Omo Valley.

Located around 15 km from Bahar Dar, the Zegue peninsula is the most popular excursion on Lake Tana, and requires a half-day visit. We linger at three sites: Urane Kidet, Azwa Maryam and Beta Maryam, a pretext for a stroll along the peninsula's coffee-growing rainforest landscapes. Hermits seeking isolation from the world founded the first Ethiopian Orthodox Christian monasteries on the islands of Lake Tana in the ^4th century. Today's buildings date from the ^18th century. The boat can pick you up on the other side if you have privatized it. Insistent souvenir sellers line this tourist route.

Transportation. To get there, you can take the local shuttle boat (25 birr) which leaves every hour and takes 1 hour (first departure 7am, return 8am, etc.), but be aware that the last returns are quite early (ask around 3 or 4pm). To privatize a boat for 1 to 5 people, expect to pay 500 birr for half a day, including fuel and driver, the advantage being that you take your time and we wait for you.

Guides. They're waiting for you at the boat's exit when you dock on the Zegue peninsula, and from now on a local guide is compulsory. So don't take one in port or in town if that's the only place you plan to go, because you'll end up paying twice! They're young, and lately we've found them quite well trained and educational in explaining the paintings, construction and architecture. It's a very interesting visit, and the friendly guides know how to keep the pushy salesmen on the side path at bay. We recommend walking with the guide, as the scenery is magnificent and he'll lead you to a small viewpoint.

Ura Kidane Mehret Church. Located on the Zegue peninsula, which is also home to the Beta Mariam and Azwa Mariam churches (Beta Giorgis having burned down), Ura Kidane Mehret is one of Lake Tana's most important sanctuaries, famous for its paintings dating from the ^18th to ^20th centuries, most of which have been restored. The circular, thatched church houses a maqdas entirely covered with biblical and historical scenes, which unfold in a sort of immense comic strip. Nearby, a small museum holds some interesting treasures: crowns, crosses, a Bible... Easily accessible, the church is much visited, attracting a throng of souvenir sellers, children and "guides" who are as tiresome as they are useless. Pretending not to understand English is a good way to ignore them.

Azwa Maryam Monastery. Following a 1.5 km path from Ura Kidane, we reach Azwa Maryam, a ^14th-century circular church with ^18th-century paintings. The priest's treasure trove includes many antiques.

Mehal Giyorgis Church. On the other side of the valley, 2 km from Ura Kidane along a different path, is Mehal Giyorgis, founded in the ^13th century and rebuilt and embellished with paintings in the ^18th century. According to legend, its founder was Abune Betre Mariam, one of the seven Ethiopian saints who dedicated his life to the expansion of monasteries on the islands of Lake Tana. The adjacent Abune Bete Mariyam church houses a museum with icons, murals, crowns, crosses, vestments, illuminated manuscripts..