Ancient Tombs Found Near Obelisk

BBC ^ | Tuesday, 26 April, 2005

[nickcarraway]

The obelisks mark the graves of Axum's ancient rulers Archaeologists have found a vast new network of royal tombs in Ethiopia, near the site where the 1,700-year-old Axum obelisk is to be re-erected.

Experts using sophisticated imaging equipment discovered the burial chambers, even older than the obelisk, under a 1963 car park, said the UN.

The stone monoliths were originally erected to mark burial sites for deceased members of the aristocracy.

The final piece of the Axum obelisk was flown home from Italy on Monday.

The whole structure - seen as a national religious treasure - is to be re-erected in September following the Ethiopian rainy season.

The obelisk was stolen by fascist Italian troops in 1937.

'Cultural tourism'

The archaeological team which discovered the new burial sites was sent to Axum to prepare for the re-erection of the obelisk.

Unesco Director-General Koichiro Matsuura said it was likely that some of the tombs were still intact.

"The site is a royal necropolis used by several dynasties before the Christian era," Unesco said, adding that the network stretches far beyond the perimeter of the present World Heritage site.

"The opening of these new tombs to the public would represent, moreover, an additional asset for the site, which, by boosting cultural tourism, would contribute to the economic development of the country," Mr Matsuura said.

[nickcarraway]

The obelisks mark the graves of Axum's ancient rulers

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[Fitzcarraldo]

The Church of St. Mary (in Axum). The Treasury that is said to contain the Ark is in the background on the left.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/ark.html

[nuconvert]

Very interesting.
I posted an article on the obelisk a week ago.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1386485/posts

[nuconvert]

Ya just never know what you're gonna find " under a 1963 car park"

[Tax-chick]

Cool! BTTT.

[rdl6989]

Axum ping.

[wouldilie]

I spent several days in Axum some years ago on a trip to the Blue Nile Falls at Gondar. The whole area was just bizarre. I rode on roads that the Egytians built that couldn't be built today with the machinery that we have. The Queen of Sheba's bath tub was really wild. The old churches that had been built by the Copt's and the Portugese were just amazing. The obolisk's were all over. There were 60- 70 in the town as I remember. The big ones had been destroyed or removed. The amazing thing was that most of the obolisks were single stone pieces that were from a quarry about a 150 miles away and they were carried over the mountains by primative people as single, intact pieces of stone. We couldn't do that today in that part of the world. A really strange place to visit with a history that is unbelievable.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Ya just never know what you're gonna find " under a 1963 car park"

Now there are some words you don't expect to see lumped together, "car park, obelisk, ancient rulers of Axum." LOL

[blam]

GGG Ping.

[HereInTheHeartland]

"under a 1963 car park,"

Shades of Cadillac ranch.

[Jumper]

Flown to Italy.... And it was within the past month that Italy could not return a stone? Hmmmm

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks for the pings, rdl6989 and Blam. Thanks Nick for the topic (and various others I've neglected to thank you for).

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[Dustbunny]

Bump

[eleni121]

Fascinating trip and lucky you for having made it.

Several Ethiopians I know are overjoyed at the news of the return of the obelisk. However, as you are probably aware, Ethiopia is struggling with spome very serious problems including a growing Muslim influence and tribal unrest.

[SunkenCiv]

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