AKU in collaboration with German Archeological Institute holds international workshop on Perception and interpretation of Pre-Axumite Archaeology.
The international workshop targets to connect the efforts of local and international scholars in a way that better contributes to further scientific inquiry.
AKU Vice President for Research and Community Service Merhawi Abraha (PhD) in his welcoming speech says “Yiha and Axum civilizations have a lot to share to world scientific knowledge”.
Keynote speaker Tekle Hagos, Associate Professor of Archaeology at Addis Ababa University, states that pottery, cemetery, steale, stones and bull heads found in Ona Culture (Eritrea) have similarities with the excavations of Pre-Axumite Civilization.
The findings from excavations of Seglamen, 12 km south east Axum, about the origin of Axum also indicate that the stamp seals, bracelets, clay models of house compounds and pottery are similar to other findings of Pre-Axumite society in its architectural shape as stated by Luisa Sernicola (PhD).
Luisa in her excavation at Seglamen found that the economy of the society by the time was based on agriculture and livestock.
She adds that she observed cultural continuity between the people in Seglamen, Madogwe and Betegiorgis archaeological sites.
Mr. Fiseha Hailu from AKU explained about the semantic perspective of Pre-Axumite society. Accordingly, he says “Semantically Axumite civilization was similar to many African civilizations other than that of Near East”.
On the other hand Sarah Japp (PhD) and Mike Schelle (PhD) argue that the architectural shape of Yiha excavations have similarities with their excavations in Senea, Yemen.
Hiluf Berhe (PhD) from Mekelle University underlined that the perception of scholars on the Pre-Axumite Civilization has to be scientific evidence based.
He says “Archaeology should not serve funder, politics, religion, but it has to serve all human with concrete evidence”.
