Between 1768 and 1772 the Scotch traveller, Bruce, set out from Massowah, a port of Abyssinia, traversed the Tigre, visited the ruins of
Axum, saw the sources of the Nile where they did not exist, and obtained no serious result.
Having visited three destinations on Ethiopian Airlines' famous Northern Circuit (the company's 'historic route service' that flies tourists to visit the world famous ancient sites at
Axum, Gondar and Lalibela) it was noticeable that all the flights were completely full.
Axum (with its port, Adulis) in northeast Ethiopia since the 4th century BC was by early 2nd century AD described as the greatest ivory market of northeast Africa.
When the prophet was being persecuted for his faith in Allah, the One God, he sent some of his family to
Axum, at that time the capital in northern Ethiopia.
In a dinner invitation at Mekelle's
Axum hotel state president Tsegay Berhe said that the people and regional government of Tigray are proud and honored to host the Sudanese delegation.
As mysterious, holy and special as the churches of Lalibela may be, Christianity's most significant artefact, the Ark of the Covenant, is said to be kept in Ethiopia's oldest city, Aksum (now spelled
Axum).
Other Ethiopian airports, such as Dire Dawa, Bahar Dar, Arba Minch,
Axum, Gondar have also been targeted for modernising.
September 5, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) -- Thousands of Ethiopians on Thursday cheered the long-awaited restoration of the 1,700-year-old
Axum obelisk to its original site in the country's north.
The city of
Axum has a series of seven giant stelae that date from perhaps 300 BC to 300 AD.
For example, why did Bruce not attempt to find the Ark of the Covenant when he was so close to
Axum where the fabled artifact is said to be kept?
What is certain is that by 50 BC, merchants and traders of Roman-ruled Egypt,
Axum (Ethiopia), Persia, Phoenicia and southern Arabia had developed long-distance trading routes--east to India, the Far East and China as well as travelling down the African coast as far south as Tanzania and Mozambique.
King Ezana built Ethiopia's first known church in the city of
Axum. It was at the sire of this church, now destroyed, from which the legend of Solomon, Sheba and the Ark of the Holy Covenent sprang.