Axumite Architecture(Ethiopian)

Aksum Chronology
• Pre-Aksumite ~700-400 BC
• Proto-Aksumite ~400-50 BC
• Early Aksumite ~50 BC-AD 150
• Classic Aksumite ~AD 150-400/450
• Middle Aksumite ~AD 400/450-550
• Late Aksumite ~AD 550-700
• Post-Aksumite after ~AD 700
 Axumite Architecture
150AD – 450AD - 800 AD
Post-Aksumite from 1000AD
key urban and building conservation issues
how these are being addressed
both
within themselves and in the context of the integrated strategic plan for the
expanding cities
Cultural heritage is seen both as an essential component of affirming and
promoting national identity and as a cornerstone of sustainable development
• This is during the period of the powerful kingdom of Axum which had survived
potentially between 1st C. BC and early 7th C. AD.

• flourished in northeastern Africa-majorly Ethiopia and Eritrea.

• The capital was the city of Aksum, which lies in the northern part of present-day
Ethiopia.

• Being a powerful trading center, Aksum controlled the highlands of northern

Ethiopia and the Red Sea coast of present-day Eritrea.

• Culturally, it was closely associated with the people of southern Arabia, who
spoke related languages and followed similar traditions.
• Though the Axumites’ empire might be considered as vast and it is certain that
there are influences in art in general (as far as there are relationships among
nations);
 the origin of Axumite architecture is majorly indigenous, African.

This is because:

 there are significant examples of Axumite architecture in Ethiopia constructed at

different times during the mentioned period of the civilization;
 there are relatively no as such good examples in the other part of the world
where those scholars are claiming it to be.
 Moreover, while the architecture and/or some details of it is still influentially
used in Ethiopia, (though not well transformed and rather is copying the details)
the scholars are not widely observing it in the other part.
• The geographic location of Axum helped it to be safe enough from any
open conflict with either of the contacts or neighbors.
• However, the spread of Islam in the 7th C. AD isolated Aksum, confining
Aksumite influence to its immediate surroundings.
• By the mid-7th C.AD Aksum was no longer a powerful state, and the
kingdom finally disintegrated in the 10th century.
• Some scholars believe that Aksum’s collapse was hastened by
overexploitation of the area’s natural resources, which led to
-soil degradation,
-erosion, and
-food shortages.
Classification of the periods of the kingdom

• Early Aksum (1st - 2nd C. AD).

• Beginning of 3rd C. AD (200 - 270 AD). erection of the famous stelae begun
• Axum until the conversion of Ezana (270 - 330AD)
• From Ezana to Kaleb (330 - 520AD) -The beginning of the era of Christianity
• From Kaleb to Coinage ends (515 - 7th C. AD)
• End of coinage until the rise of Zagwe Dynasty (630 - 1137 AD)
• In describing the architecture, the Axumites’ period could be studied in two
categories.
 the pre-Christian period and
 after the conversion to Christianity

• While the famous stelae, tumuli and tombs were majorly erected and built before
the introduction of Christianity majorly during the 3rd and 4th C. AD
(although no exact dates can be attributed to them)

• little is known about Aksumite religion before the conversion of King Ezana to
Christianity;

• churches and temples were constructed and later carved during the era of
Christianity.
• According to traditional accounts, two Christian Syrian monks, Aedisius and
Frumentius, introduced Christianity to Aksum in the early 4th century.
• The stelae of Aksum are among the largest monolithic monuments ever created
by humans.
• The multi-storey-symbol towers, erected during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD
marked the tomb sites of Aksumite kings (royal tombs) to add to the beauty or
glory of the kings and the kingdom at large.
• These giant stelae (single pieces of stone), weighing hundreds of tons each, were
quarried possibly a few kilometers away from Aksum as there are evidences still
today, brought to the burial sites, and raised into place
 (a process that would have required an enormous amount of labor).
• The largest stele was 33 m (108 ft) long fell in antiquity perhaps during an
attempt to erect and still lies there, broken into pieces.
• Of the stelae still standing, the tallest is 24 m (79 ft) tall.
• While one of the stelae was taken to Italy by the fascist Mussolini and returned
only recently, carved like some other stelae to represent the facades of palaces,
with false windows and doors and other decorations;
• the earlier, smaller, stelae were left plain.
• Aksum is said to have imported cloth and ready-made garments, but almost
nothing is known of the styles of dress.
• The cloth was linen, wool, or cotton. Archaeologists have found loom weights in
Aksum, suggesting that Aksumites wove their own cloth as well. People in rural
areas may also have worn leather, a typical culture still common in the northern
highlands of Ethiopia.
• The kingdom of Aksum contained a number of important towns in addition to
Aksum.
• The Red Sea port of Adulis was one of the largest.
• It contained stone churches and houses, the latter probably belonging to
prosperous merchants.
• Other towns were located along the route that led from Adulis to Aksum.
• Many stone buildings have been found away from the towns; these may have
been the residences of rich local landlords
• Wealthy Aksumites lived comfortable lives and used luxury domestic items (such
as ceramics, glassware, and fabrics imported from abroad).
• The dwellings of town and rural workers were likely round huts made of stone
or mud with conical thatched roofs, similar to rural houses in Ethiopia today.
• There were also other types which are made of small stones, wood, thatch and
clay.
• The clay and the thatch is the main part of the wall
• since clay by itself is not a strong material the wooden sticks are placed in the
centre of the clay wall, vertically and along the thickness of the wall.
• The door and the window are made of wood carpentry including the locks and of
course the frames (bordering).
• The roof is made of thatch and wooden sticks are aligned in both directions.
• The ‘monkey head’ is the projection and recess at the wall and the horizontal
are used to strengthen the roof made of thatch that is placed on top of wooden
sticks.
• The wall does not end on the edge of the roof but it continues up as long as 30-
40cm (like a parapet wall)
• this is made to make the rain water flow to one direction.
• The plans are simple arithmetic forms mostly rectangular shapes.
• Walls with monkey heads (The monkey-head construction)
Good example of the Axumite Architecture at the
monastery of Debre Damo
Monkey head technique
• The most commonly used Axumite techniques of structure in
construction
• Stone and clay masonry of smaller stones
• Walls had to be strengthened at narrow intervals with long squared
timbers which further held by short round cross-pieces the ends of
which became visible as rows of protruding and smoothly rounded
‚monkey heads‛
• Axumite door and window frames were made of timbers cut in to
each other with no nails but with shallow recesses and projections
Axumite Proportions
 Axumite architecture is known for its simpler proportions
Example:
• Equal-equal
• Middle-middle-middle

Principle of ‚equal-equal‛ generates the square, cube, the 45

degree angle as well as orthogonal shapes
• This method of equal-equal can also be applied for repeated division ‚middle-
middle-middle‛ which produces the number series

1-2-4-8-16-32,...
 Generally, the Axumite construction in the monkey head system can be described
as:

• a dry stone masonry of large and squarely dressed stone used at the corners to
make the structure more stable with smaller broken stones being used for the
main bulk of the walls, and of course slabs of slates, phyllites and schist to cover
the many narrow ‚shelves‛ (smaller ziggurat types) which are formed because
the walls are stepped inward at regular intervals. The walls are much thicker at
the bottom and become relatively thinner upwards.
The Powerful Kingdom of Axum
100-1000AD

Plan of a palace
excavated at Axum
Reconstructed view of one of the largest palaces at Axum
(King Taakha Mariam’s Palace)
 Axumite Construction Technique
• Decoration of the largest stalae at Axum symbolize building structures
• But not with the assumption that the Axumites in reality constructed multi-
storey buildings
How Axumites were measuring
Axum & Tourism

• Ethiopia is unique in its part of Africa for

having sites of great architectural monuments
from ancient times.

• No comparable places of architectural

antiquities are found in the other East African
countries
Elevation with Christian cross over an entrance
Longitudinal section of tomb at Matara

Plan
Reconstructed plan assuming a pair of ‚twin‛ churches Tomb of Kaleb
Ruins of an Axumite Palace
Entrance to an Axumite Palace
NB: the construction technique – the use of stone slabs at
intervals
• Aksum was indeed set apart as:
 the ceremonial centre
 site of the royal tombs and inscriptions
 but was also the kingdom's capital city, whose rulers and people were referred to as
Aksumites after their town with its special and increasing predominance in the
region.
 There are stelae and tombs at Matara and elsewhere which doubtless indicate the
burial places of the local rulers of other districts,
 whilst those at Aksum are surely more likely to belong to a dynasty centred in
Aksum itself than to a series of kings whose capitals were actually at different places
all over the country. Family emphasis (relevant to the question of a royal lineage and
the succession