Altitude: 1,953 m. Population: 70,000. After 60 km of paved road from Aksum, you reach the town of Shire. Over the course of history, this region has repeatedly been the scene of battles between Ethiopian and Italian troops in 1936, and between Tigrayan rebels and Derg armies in the 1990s. This typical Tigrayan town can also be an interesting stopover on the way to Gondar the following day.A dream region for archaeologists. The Shire region boasts many unexcavated pre-Axumite sites. One of these is located near the former capital of the Aksumite kingdom from the 1st to the 11th century, Mai Adrasha, 50 km west of Aksum. The research area covers almost 100 km2 and lies to the east of the modern town of Inda Selassie. Initial excavations in 2016, carried out by a team of archaeologists from California's prestigious UCLA University, revealed a stone platform and storage vessels dating back to 1200 BC. - one of the oldest sites in Ethiopia. The agriculture and trade of these societies resulted in close contact with these civilizations and the adoption of early Christianity.Further excavations are underway at the two major sites of Mai Adrasha and Mezaber Adi Menaber. In 2019, students worked at Mai Adrasha, a site threatened with destruction due to the uncontrolled gold panning carried out here.In addition to intensive surveying and excavation, the students took part in community awareness-raising and helped manage crucial sites.

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