Ancient Monoliths In Ethiopia

 

Competing For a Place

An archeological team recently discovered that ancient stone monoliths in Ethiopia’s southern Gedeo zone are older than previously believed, according to a new study.

The Sakaro Sodo archaeological site is home to phallic-shaped monoliths – or stelae – that rise as high as 20 feet. While many of them have fallen or remain undecorated, some monuments still display wrought faces and other anthropomorphic designs.

Considered as a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site, the origins behind Sakaro Sodo and other archaeological sites in Gedeo still puzzle researchers.

“This is one of the most understudied archaeological sites in the world, and we wanted to change that,” lead author Ashenafi Zena said.

With her colleagues, Zena used radiocarbon dating on the stones and found that they were built around the first century CE. A previous study on other archaeological sites in the Gedeo zone had estimated that some of the stelae – ones found in Tuto Fela in the north – were built around 1100 CE.

The findings also showed that the ancient builders quarried the stone and even obtained one of the materials used, obsidian, from more than 180 miles away in northern Kenya – possibly through some form of trade.

The monoliths’ construction also coincided with the arrival of domesticated animals in the region and the start of more complex social and economic systems.

The stelae’s purpose still eludes researchers but they hope that further investigation and preservation of the sites could help the monuments gain UNESCO World Heritage designation.