Lunch over and back along the same road some 11 days ago for the remaining leg back to Addis.
Stopped first at the UNESCO site at Tiya.
The stelae from the Soddo region, with their enigmatic configuration, are highly representative of an expression of the Ethiopian megalithic period.
Soddo lies to the south of Addis Ababa, beyond the Aouache river. It is remarkable because of the numerous archaeological sites of the megalithic period, comprising hundreds of sculptured stelae, that have been discovered there. The carved monoliths vary in size from 1 m to 5 m. Their forms fall into several distinct categories: figurative composition; anthropomorphic; hemispherical or conical; simple monoliths. In the northern area are to be found stelae with depictions of swords, associated with enigmatic symbols and schematic human figures.
Among the most important of the roughly 160 archaeological sites discovered so far in the Soddo region is Tiya. Of the 36 stelae at Tiyla, 32 are sculpted with vaguely representational configurations (including the sword designs), which are for the most part difficult to decipher. One depicts the outline of a human figure in low relief.
They are the remains of an ancient Ethiopian culture the age of which has not yet been precisely determined. However, they have been interpreted as having a funerary significance, as there are tombs scattered around the stelae. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/12
These 700 year old mass graves of male and females who were laid to rest in a foetal position having dies between ages 18 and 50. Nearly all of the stones are engraved with what appears to be stylised swords (perhaps they were soldiers) plain circles (female?) and what looks like a pair of podgy leaves rising on a stem from a rectangular base – quite possibly representing the enset or false banana, a plantain grown in southern Ethiopia. Some stones are carved with what looks like a Greek E with no meaning for this just yet.
Tiya
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Tiya, Mirab Shewa, Ethiopia
Other Entries
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39Hamar Tribe
Dec 195 days priorTurmi, Ethiopiaphoto_camera81videocam 2comment 0 -
40HIGHLIGHTS Fri 19 Dec: Karo Tribe, Hamar Tribe
Dec 195 days priorTurmi, Ethiopiaphoto_camera95videocam 0comment 0 -
41Dimeka Market
Dec 204 days priorDimeka, Ethiopiaphoto_camera130videocam 0comment 0 -
42Bull Jumping Ceremony
Dec 204 days priorDimeka, Ethiopiaphoto_camera166videocam 23comment 0 -
43HIGHLIGHTS Sat 20 Dec: Market, Bull Jumping
Dec 204 days priorTurmi, Ethiopiaphoto_camera120videocam 19comment 0 -
44Dasanech Tribe
Dec 213 days priorOmarate, Ethiopiaphoto_camera116videocam 0comment 0 -
45HIGHLIGHTS Sun 21 Dec: Dassanech Tribe
Dec 213 days priorKonso, Ethiopiaphoto_camera82videocam 0comment 0 -
46Konso Sunrise
Dec 222 days priorKonso, Ethiopiaphoto_camera30videocam 0comment 0 -
47Camel Market
Dec 222 days priorYabēlo, Ethiopiaphoto_camera53videocam 1comment 0 -
48Borena Market
Dec 222 days priorYabēlo, Ethiopiaphoto_camera48videocam 0comment 0 -
49Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary
Dec 222 days priorYabēlo, Ethiopiaphoto_camera13videocam 0comment 0 -
50HIGHLIGHTS Mon 22 Dec: Camel Market, Borena Market
Dec 231 day priorYabēlo, Ethiopiaphoto_camera62videocam 0comment 0 -
51Fast Drive To Bule Hora
Dec 231 day priorBule Hora, Ethiopiaphoto_camera54videocam 3comment 0 -
52Slow Corrugated Drive To Yirgalem
Dec 231 day priorYirgalem, Ethiopiaphoto_camera231videocam 0comment 0 -
53HIGHLIGHTS Tues 23 Dec: Yebelo > Yirgalem
Dec 231 day priorYirgalem, Ethiopiaphoto_camera119videocam 0comment 0 -
54Foot To The Pedal
Dec 231 day priorLake Zigway, Ethiopiaphoto_camera107videocam 0comment 0 -
55Lake Ziway
Dec 24earlier that dayLake Ziway, Ethiopiaphoto_camera134videocam 0comment 0 -
56Tiya
Dec 24Tiya, Ethiopiaphoto_camera20videocam 0comment 0 -
57Homeward Leg To Addis
Dec 24later that dayAddis Ababa, Ethiopiaphoto_camera35videocam 0comment 0 -
58HIGHLIGHTS Wed 24 Dec: Travel Back To Addis
Dec 251 day laterAddis Ababa, Ethiopiaphoto_camera122videocam 0comment 0 -
59Lake Bishoftu
Dec 251 day laterBishoftu, Ethiopiaphoto_camera34videocam 0comment 0 -
60Awash National Park PM Game Drive
Dec 262 days laterAwash, Ethiopiaphoto_camera55videocam 0comment 0 -
61HIGHLIGHTS Thurs 25 Dec: Travel to Awash Nat Park
Dec 262 days laterAwash National Park, Ethiopiaphoto_camera28videocam 0comment 0 -
62Awash National Park AM Game Drive
Dec 262 days laterAwash National Park, Ethiopiaphoto_camera34videocam 0comment 0 -
63Awash > Harar
Dec 262 days laterHarar, Ethiopiaphoto_camera92videocam 0comment 0 -
64Harar – 5 City Gates
Dec 262 days laterHarar, Ethiopiaphoto_camera83videocam 0comment 0 -
65Arthur Rimbaud Center
Dec 262 days laterHarar, Ethiopiaphoto_camera29videocam 0comment 0 -
66Harar Grand Market
Dec 262 days laterHarar, Ethiopiaphoto_camera50videocam 0comment 0 -
67Hyena Man
Dec 262 days laterHarar, Ethiopiaphoto_camera9videocam 0comment 0 -
68HIGHLIGHTS Fri 26 Dec: Harar
Dec 262 days laterHarar, Ethiopiaphoto_camera178videocam 0comment 0 -
69Pilgrimage To Kulubi
Dec 273 days laterK’ulubī, Ethiopiaphoto_camera204videocam 0comment 0 -
70Railway To Addis
Dec 273 days laterAddis Ababa, Ethiopiaphoto_camera41videocam 0comment 0 -
71HIGHLIGHTS Sat 27 Dec: Kulubi Church > Addis Ababa
Dec 273 days laterAddis Ababa, Ethiopiaphoto_camera110videocam 0comment 0 -
72Saint Gabriel Celebration Bahir Dar
Dec 284 days laterBahir Dar, Ethiopiaphoto_camera58videocam 0comment 0 -
73African Massage
Dec 284 days laterBahir Dar, Ethiopiaphoto_camera31videocam 0comment 0 -
74Blue Nile Falls
Dec 284 days laterBahir Dar, Ethiopiaphoto_camera99videocam 0comment 0
2023-12-04