In October 2023, a team from the German Archaeological Institute, with the support of the German Embassy in Addis Ababa, was able to return to their archaeological research sites in the Tigray region of Ethiopia after more than three years of disruptions.
The work had been interrupted due to the armed conflict that broke out in November 2020. It was only after two years that the Pretoria Peace Agreement was signed between the conflicting parties, marking the beginning of a peace process.
Some 3000 years ago, northern Ethiopia had close economic contacts with distant regions. The trade relations extended via Nubia (present-day Sudan) to Egypt. There were also close connections to the territory of Saba in southern Arabia (Yemen). The exchange and trade of luxury goods such as incense, gold and ivory were particularly important.
From the early 1st millennium B.C. to the 4th century B.C., people from southern Arabia (Sabaeans) settled in Tigray. Together with the local population, they developed and used the existing raw materials. The resulting economic boom led to major cultural and social changes. Monumental buildings such as temples and palace complexes were built in the ancient political and religious centre of Yeha.
The Ethiopian-German Cooperation Project, which is being carried out with the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena & is funded by the German Research Foundation, contributes in addition to the archaeological research to the restoration of the ancient site for tourism, the training of local restorers & the presentation of research results in a new museum.
It was thanks to the great commitment of the local population of Yeha that the site was not destroyed and the magazines remained untouched during the armed conflict.