Ancient Axum

Some documents of ancient time ranked Axum alongside with Rome, Persia and China as one of the best four world palace. At the time of Debre Damo was founded Axum was a huge city and was an ivory market.

Given its significance we know so little of its history. After all Axum has a considerable claim to fame.

The Ethiopians believed that they brought the arc of covenant from King Solomon of Israel but no one is allowed to see it since the arc is so holy. The security is so tight that no one can’t enter.

There are some remaining’s of King Ezana’s castle in Axum just in the side of a church where the arc of covenant is belived to be placed. Archeologists believe Ezana was responsible for the first Christian church in Ethiopia and he was the first Emperor to convert to Christianity. Archeological findings shows that the coins before king Ezana have a pre Christian religion symbol of crescent moon but the coins from his time shows a symbol of cross. And the coins also shows the fascinating civilization of Ethiopia in the 4th century. Axum is the only country in sub-Saharan Africa of that time known to be issued currency.

There are stela in Axum which are considered to be the largest pieces of stones from aquarium in the ancient world. The tallest stela of Axum is 32 meters long and weighs around 500 tons. The architectures of these stela is used in Debre Damo churches 500 years later and 1000 years later of churches of Lalibela. At the top there is a sign of the rising son which is also found in these and many other mysterious castles and churches of Ethiopia. Those stela marks ancient burial place of ancient kings of Ethiopia about 2000 years ago.