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Aksum

አክሱም
Aksum አክሱም
City
	Street in Aksum
	Nickname: Axum
Country	Ethiopia
Region	Tigray
Zone	Mehakelegnaw

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Aksum (the correct transliteration from the Ge'ez አክሱም), more commonly known as Axum, is a small, but ancient city in northern Ethiopia which was the original capital city of the eponymous kingdom of Aksum. Aksum was a naval and trading power that ruled the region from ca. 400 BC into the 10th century. The kingdom was also arbitrarily identified as Abyssinia, Ethiopia, and India in medieval writings.

Overview

Located in the Mehakelegnaw Zone of the Tigray Region near the base of the Adwa mountains, Aksum has an elevation of 2,131 meters. It is the administrative center of La'ilay Maychew woreda.

Aksum is served by an airport (ICAO code HAAX, IATA AXU).

Due to their historical value, in 1980 UNESCO added Aksum's archaeological sites to its list of World Heritage Sites.

History

Aksum was the center of the marine trading power known as the Aksumite Empire, which predated the earliest mentions in Roman era writings. The new Aksumite-Judean government established by Menilek I was a diaspora of Judah and Judah-faithful Levites, which departed from the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, just before the invading Babylonian forces of King Nebuchadnezzar captured and sacked Jerusalem and the successors of Menilek I reigned as the original Solomonic Dynasty and followed the Mosaic faith as did Kings David and Solomon. When Christianity came , the Aksumite Jews largely accepted it, with approximately the opposite ratio found in Israel so that from AD 56 until AD 359 it was a government of Messianic Jews (the first Christian church in Africa, Bete Yisrael Mesihawi Aksumawi, started by Apostle Philip, AD 54, when he recruited and sent as the first Bishop of Aksum, the monk/ambassador discussed in Acts 8:26-39 and after he returned and converted the Empress Kandeke Garsemot VI, better known in English as Queen Candace, decreed and established Judean (Messianic) Christianity to replace the previous Mosaic faith, as the State Religion of Aksum in AD 56, which caused her prompt assassination ^[1]), however her death failed to stop the people from accepting the Gospel message. ^[2]

Around AD 359 there was a great rebellion of gentiles belonging to the recently popularized Coptic (Egyptian) Orthodox church, after which the ruling class were forced to convert to the invading Coptic Orthodox church,(which is why the Coptic Bishop of Alexandria did not grant total church autonomy to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church until around AD 1952).

Later, under the reign of Kaleb, Aksum was a quasi-ally of Byzantium against the Persian Empire. The historical record is unclear to those unfamiliar with the intricacies of primary sources which are mainly ancient and more recent church records. However, these need not be dismissed as evidence, because they include and/or are linked with many official records from the former imperial monarchy, which is to be expected, since the church and the state were not separate until the arrival of the previous and current Marxist regimes, since 1974.

It is largely believed there began a long slow decline after the 7th century due partly to Islamic groups contesting trade routes. Eventually Aksum was cut off from its principal markets in Alexandria, Byzantium and Southern Europe and its trade share was captured by Arab traders of the era. The Kingdom of Aksum was finally destroyed by Gudit, and eventually the people of Aksum were forced south and their civilization declined. As the kingdom's power declined so did the influence of the city, which is believed to have lost population in the decline similar to Rome and other cities thrust away from the flow of world events. The last known (nominal) king to reign was crowned ca. 10th century, but the kingdom's influence and power ended long before that.

Its decline in population and trade then contributed to the shift of the power center of the Ethiopian Empire so that it moved further inland ^[3] and then bequeathed its alternative place name (Abyssinia) to the region, until eventually (officially in November, 1930) it was again renamed Ethiopia, having forgotten that its root, the Greek phrase ethi opi, was originally a Greek racial pejorative, literally meaning burnt faces, the ancient Greek equivalent of referring to Africans as Darkies, which legend says was a term coined by Alexander the Great when he first arrived in Egypt).

Aksumite kingdom and Ethiopian Church

The kingdom of Aksum had its own written language called Ge'ez, and also developed a distinctive architecture exemplified by giant obelisks, called stelae, the oldest of which (though much smaller) date from 5000-2000 BC.^[4] This kingdom was at its height under king Ezana, baptized as Abreha, in the 4th century AD (which was also when it officially embraced Christianity).^[5]

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims that the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion in Aksum houses the Biblical Ark of the Covenant in which lie the Tablets of Law upon which the Ten Commandments are inscribed.^[6] This same church was the site Ethiopian emperors were crowned for centuries until the reign of Fasilides, then again beginning with Yohannes IV until the end of the empire. Aksum is considered by millions of Jews and Christians to be the holiest city in all Africa and is an important destination of pilgrimages.^[6] Significant religious festivals are Enkutentash (New Year), the celebration of the anniversary of both Creation and the true historical birthday of Jesus Christ, both falling upon 11th of September 5500 years apart, the T'imqet Festival (known as the Epiphany in western Christianity, so called because an exceedingly great realization occurred at the moment Jesus was baptized, when the one true living Yahweh was finally visibly revealed to be a composite Tri-unity of three distinct, coequal, divine Personal Minds within one Eternal God-kind), which is traditionally celebrated the weekend on or preceeding the 19th of January, also Orthodox Christmas, called Ledat or G'na, which is celebrated on the 7th of January and the Festival of Maryam Zion observed in late November.

In 1937, a 24-metre tall, 1700-year-old Obelisk of Axum broken into five parts and lying on the ground, was found and shipped by Italian soldiers to Rome to be erected. The obelisk is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of engineering from the height of the Aksumite empire. Despite a 1947 United Nations agreement that the obelisk would be shipped back, Italy balked, resulting in a long-standing diplomatic dispute with the Ethiopian government, which views the obelisk as a symbol of national identity. In April 2005, Italy finally returned the obelisk pieces to Aksum amidst much official and public rejoicing, Italy also covered the $4 million costs of the transfer. UNESCO has assumed responsibility for the re-installation of this stele in Aksum, and as of the end of July 2008 the obelisk has been reinstalled (see panographic photos in external links below). Rededication of the obelisk took place on September 4, 2008 in Paris, France with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi dedicating the obelisk to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano for his kind efforts in returning the obelisk.

Aksum and Islam

The Aksumite Empire has a longstanding relationship with Islam. According to ibn Hisham,^[7] when Prophet Muhammad faced oppression from the Quraish clan, he sent a small group that included his daughter Ruqayya and her husband Uthman ibn Affan, to whom Ashama ibn Abjar, the king of Aksum, gave refuge and protection and refused the requests of the Quraish clan to send these refugees back to Arabia. These refugees did not return until the sixth year of the Hijra (AD 628), and even then many remained in Ethiopia, eventually settling at Negash in eastern Tigray.

There are different traditions concerning the effect these early Muslims had on the ruler of Aksum. The Muslim tradition is that the ruler of Aksum was so impressed by these refugees that he became a secret convert.^[8] On the other hand, Arabic historians and Ethiopian tradition states that some of the Muslim refugees who lived in Ethiopia during this time converted to Orthodox Christianity. There is also a second Ethiopian tradition that, on the death of Ashama ibn Abjar, Muhammed is reported to have prayed for the king's soul, and told his followers, "Leave the Abyssinians in peace, as long as they do not take the offensive.^[9]

Main sights

The major Aksumite monuments in the town are stelae; the largest number lie in the Northern Stelae Park, ranging up to the 33-metre (33 metres high 3.84 metres wide 2.35 metres deep, weighing 520 tonnes) Great Stele, believed to have fallen and broken during construction. The tallest standing is the 24-metre (20.6 metres high 2.65 metres wide 1.18 metres deep, weighing 160 tonnes) King Ezana's Stele. Another stele (24.6 metres high 2.32 metres wide 1.36 metres deep, weighing 170 tonnes) removed by the Italian army was returned to Ethiopia in 2005 and reinstalled July 31, 2008.^[10] This stele was already broken into pieces before being shipped. Three more stele measure 18.2 metres high 1.56 metres wide 0.76 metres deep, weighing 56 tonnes; 15.8 metres high 2.35 metres wide 1 metres deep, weighing 75 tonnes; 15.3 metres high 1.47 metres wide 0.78 metres deep, weighing 43 tonnes.^[11] The stelae are believed to mark graves and would have had cast metal discs affixed to their sides, which are also carved with architectural designs. The Gudit Stelae to the west of town, unlike the northern area, are interspersed with mostly 4th century tombs.

Other features of the town include St Mary of Zion church, built in 1665 and said to contain the Ark of the Covenant (a prominent twentieth-century church of the same name neighbours it), archaeological and ethnographic museums, the Ezana Stone written in Sabaean, Ge'ez and Ancient Greek in a similar manner to the Rosetta Stone, King Bazen's Tomb (a megalith considered to be one of the earliest structures), the so-called Queen of Sheba's Bath (actually a reservoir), the fourth-century Ta'akha Maryam and 6th-century Dungur palaces, the monasteries of Abba Pentalewon and Abba Liqanos and the Lioness of Gobedra rock art.

Local legend claims the Queen of Sheba lived in the town.

Demographics

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Aksum has an estimated total population of 47,320 of whom 20,774 are men and 21,898 women.^[12] The 1994 national census reported a total population for this city of 27,148, of whom 12,536 were men and 14,612 were women. The largest ethnic group reported was the Tigrayan (98.54%) and Tigrinya was spoken as a first language by 98.68%. The majority of the population practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity with 85.08% reported as embracing that religion, while 14.81% were Muslim.^[13]

Aksum University

Aksum University was established in Aksum in May 2006 on a green field site, 4 kilometers from the town center; the inauguration ceremony was held on 16 February 2007. The current area of the campus is 107 hectares, with ample room for potential expansion.^{[citation needed]}

The establishment of a University in Aksum is expected to contribute much to the ongoing development of the country in general and of the region in particular.

References

^ Rey, Sir Charles F., In the Country of the Blue Nile, (1927, Duckworth Press, London) Appendix
^ Kebra Negast, The (in its entirety), the oral history of the Ethiopian Jews as recorded by historian Orthodox monks in Ge'ez,(available since the 20th century in an English translation).
^ G. Mokhtar, UNESCO General History of America, Vol. II, Abridged Edition (Berkeley: University of Aksum Press, 1990), pp. 215-35. ISBN 0-85255-092-8
^ Herausgegeben von Uhlig, Siegbert, Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: D-Ha (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2005), p. 871.
^ J.D. Fage, A History of Africa (London: Routledge, 2001). pp. 53-54. ISBN 0-415-25248-2
^ ^a ^b Hodd, Mike, Footprint East Africa Handbook (New York: Footprint Travel Guides, 2002), p. 859. ISBN 1-900949-65-2
^ ibn Hisham, The Life of the Prophet
^ Ibn Ishaq, The Life of Muhammad (Oxford, 1955), 657-58.
^ Paul B. Henze, Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia (New York: Palgrave, 2000), pp. 42f
^ "Mission accomplished: Aksum Obelisk successfully reinstalled" (August 1, 2008)
^ Scarre, Chris Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World 1999
^ CSA 2005 National Statistics, Table B.4
^ 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Vol. 1, part 1, Tables 2.2, 2.13, 2.16, 2.20 (accessed 30 December 2008)

External links

Ethiopian Treasures — Queen of Sheba, Aksumite Kingdom — Aksum
Kingdom of Aksum article from "About Archaeology"
UNESCO – World Heritage Sites — Aksum
The Metropolitam Museum of Art — "Foundations of Aksumite Civilization and Its Christian Legacy (1st–7th century)"
On Axum
More on Axum
Axum from Catholic Encyclopedia
Final obelisk section in Ethiopia, BBC, 25 April 2005
Axum Heritage Site on Aluka digital library
Aksum World Heritage Site in panographies - 360 degree interactive imaging

[1] Rey, Sir Charles F., In the Country of the Blue Nile, (1927, Duckworth Press, London) Appendix

[2] Kebra Negast, The (in its entirety), the oral history of the Ethiopian Jews as recorded by historian Orthodox monks in Ge'ez,(available since the 20th century in an English translation).

[3] G. Mokhtar, UNESCO General History of America, Vol. II, Abridged Edition (Berkeley: University of Aksum Press, 1990), pp. 215-35. ISBN 0-85255-092-8

[4] Herausgegeben von Uhlig, Siegbert, Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: D-Ha (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2005), p. 871.

[5] J.D. Fage, A History of Africa (London: Routledge, 2001). pp. 53-54. ISBN 0-415-25248-2

[Hodd-6] Hodd, Mike, Footprint East Africa Handbook (New York: Footprint Travel Guides, 2002), p. 859. ISBN 1-900949-65-2

[7] Hisham, The Life of the Prophet

[8] Ibn Ishaq, The Life of Muhammad (Oxford, 1955), 657-58.

[9] Paul B. Henze, Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia (New York: Palgrave, 2000), pp. 42f

[10] "Mission accomplished: Aksum Obelisk successfully reinstalled" (August 1, 2008)

[11] Scarre, Chris Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World 1999

[12] CSA 2005 National Statistics, Table B.4

[13] 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Vol. 1, part 1, Tables 2.2, 2.13, 2.16, 2.20 (accessed 30 December 2008)

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@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 {{Infobox settlement
-|official_name          = Axum
+|official_name          = Aksum
 |other_name             = አክሱም
 |native_name            =
-|nickname               =
+|nickname               = Axum
 |settlement_type        = City
 |motto                  =
 |image_skyline          = Axoum partie moderne.JPG
 |imagesize              = 250px
-|image_caption          = Street in Axum
+|image_caption          = Street in Aksum
 | pushpin_map             = Ethiopia
 | pushpin_label_position  = <!-- position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 [[File:NE 565ad.jpg|thumb|300px|Near East in 565 AD, showing the [[kingdom of Aksum]] and its neighbors]]
-'''Axum''' or '''Aksum''' is a [[city]] in northern [[Ethiopia]] which was the original capital of the eponymous [[Kingdom of Aksum|kingdom of Axum]]. Axum was a naval and trading power that ruled the region from ca. 400 [[Before Christ|BC]] into the 10th century. The kingdom was also arbitrarily identified as Abyssinia, Ethiopia, and India in medieval writings.
+'''Aksum''' (the correct transliteration from the Ge'ez አክሱም), more commonly known as ''Axum'', is a small, but ancient city in northern [[Ethiopia]] which was the original capital city of the eponymous [[Kingdom of Aksum|kingdom of Aksum]]. Aksum was a naval and trading power that ruled the region from ca. 400 [[Before Christ|BC]] into the 10th century. The kingdom was also arbitrarily identified as Abyssinia, Ethiopia, and India in medieval writings.
 == Overview ==
-Located in the [[Mehakelegnaw Zone]] of the [[Tigray Region]] near the base of the [[Adwa]] mountains, Axum has an elevation of 2,131 meters. It is the administrative center of [[La'ilay Maychew]] [[woreda]].
+Located in the [[Mehakelegnaw Zone]] of the [[Tigray Region]] near the base of the [[Adwa]] mountains, Aksum has an elevation of 2,131 meters. It is the administrative center of [[La'ilay Maychew]] [[woreda]].
 Aksum is served by an [[Aksum Airport|airport]] ([[ICAO]] code HAAX, [[IATA]] AXU).
@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 ==History==
-{{details|Aksumite Empire|the early history of Axum}}
+{{details|Aksumite Empire|the early history of Aksum}}
+Aksum was the center of the marine trading power known as the Aksumite Empire, which predated the earliest mentions in [[Roman era]] writings. The new Aksumite-Judean government established by Menilek I was a diaspora of Judah and Judah-faithful Levites, which departed from the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, just before the invading Babylonian forces of King Nebuchadnezzar captured and sacked Jerusalem and the successors of Menilek I reigned as the original Solomonic Dynasty and followed the Mosaic faith as did Kings David and Solomon. When Christianity came , the Aksumite Jews largely accepted it, with approximately the opposite ratio found in Israel so that from AD 56 until AD 359 it was a government of Messianic Jews (the first Christian church in Africa, Bete Yisrael Mesihawi Aksumawi, started by Apostle Philip, AD 54, when he recruited and sent as the first Bishop of Aksum, the monk/ambassador discussed in Acts 8:26-39 and after he returned and converted the Empress Kandeke Garsemot VI, better known in English as '''Queen Candace''', decreed and established Judean (Messianic) Christianity to replace the previous Mosaic faith, as the State Religion of Aksum in AD 56, which caused her prompt assassination <ref>Rey, Sir Charles F., ''In the Country of the Blue Nile'', (1927, Duckworth Press, London) Appendix</ref>), however her death failed to stop the people from accepting the Gospel message. <ref>Kebra Negast, The (in its entirety), the oral history of the Ethiopian Jews as recorded by historian Orthodox monks in Ge'ez,(available since the 20th century in an English translation).</ref>
-Axum was the center of the marine trading power known as the Aksumite Kingdom, which predated the earliest mentions in [[Roman era]] writings. Around AD [[356]], its ruler was converted to [[Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity|Christianity]] by [[Frumentius]]. Later, under the reign of [[Kaleb of Axum|Kaleb]], Axum was a quasi-ally of [[Byzantium]] against the [[Persian Empire]]. The historical record is unclear, primary sources limited mainly to ancient church records.
+Around AD 359 there was a great rebellion of gentiles belonging to the recently popularized Coptic (Egyptian) Orthodox church, after which the ruling class were forced to convert to the invading Coptic Orthodox church,(which is why the Coptic Bishop of Alexandria did not grant total church autonomy to the [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church]] until around AD 1952).
-It is believed it began a long slow decline after the 7th century due partly to Islamic groups contesting trade routes. Eventually Aksum was cut off from its principal markets in [[Alexandria]], [[Byzantium]] and [[Southern Europe]] and its trade share was captured by Arab traders of the era. The Kingdom of Aksum was finally destroyed by [[Gudit]], and eventually the people of Aksum were forced south and their civilization declined. As the kingdom's power declined so did the influence of the city, which is believed to have lost population in the decline similar to Rome and other cities thrust away from the flow of world events. The last known (nominal) king to reign was crowned ca. 10th century, but the kingdom's influence and power ended long before that.
+Later, under the reign of [[Kaleb of Axum|Kaleb]], Aksum was a quasi-ally of [[Byzantium]] against the [[Persian Empire]]. The historical record is unclear to those unfamiliar with the intricacies of primary sources which are mainly ancient and more recent church records. However, these need not be dismissed as evidence, because they include and/or are linked with many official records from the former imperial monarchy, which is to be expected, since the church and the state were not separate until the arrival of the previous and current Marxist regimes, since 1974.
-Its decline in population and trade then contributed to the shift of the power center of the Ethiopian Empire so that it moved further inland and bequeathed its alternative place name (Ethiopia) to the region, and eventually, the modern state.<ref>G. Mokhtar, ''UNESCO General History of America, Vol. II, Abridged Edition'' (Berkeley: University of Aksum Press, 1990), pp. 215-35. ISBN 0-85255-092-8</ref>
+It is largely believed there began a long slow decline after the 7th century due partly to Islamic groups contesting trade routes. Eventually Aksum was cut off from its principal markets in [[Alexandria]], [[Byzantium]] and [[Southern Europe]] and its trade share was captured by Arab traders of the era. The Kingdom of Aksum was finally destroyed by [[Gudit]], and eventually the people of Aksum were forced south and their civilization declined. As the kingdom's power declined so did the influence of the city, which is believed to have lost population in the decline similar to Rome and other cities thrust away from the flow of world events. The last known (nominal) king to reign was crowned ca. 10th century, but the kingdom's influence and power ended long before that.
+Its decline in population and trade then contributed to the shift of the power center of the Ethiopian Empire so that it moved further inland <ref>G. Mokhtar, ''UNESCO General History of America, Vol. II, Abridged Edition'' (Berkeley: University of Aksum Press, 1990), pp. 215-35. ISBN 0-85255-092-8</ref> and then bequeathed its alternative place name (Abyssinia) to the region, until eventually (officially in November, 1930) it was again renamed '''Ethiopia''', having forgotten that its root, the Greek phrase '''ethi opi''', was originally a Greek racial pejorative, literally meaning '''burnt faces''', the ancient Greek equivalent of referring to Africans as '''Darkies''', which legend says was a term coined by Alexander the Great when he first arrived in Egypt).
 ==Aksumite kingdom and Ethiopian Church ==
 [[File:Church Our Lady Mary Zion Axum Ethio.jpg|thumb|250px|Dome and Belltower of the [[Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion]]]]
 [[File:Ark of the Covenant church in Axum Ethiopia.jpg|thumb|250px|The Chapel of the Tablet]]
-The [[kingdom of Aksum]] had its own written language called [[Ge'ez language|Ge'ez]], and also developed a distinctive architecture exemplified by giant obelisks, the oldest of which (though much smaller) date from 5000-2000 BC.<ref>Herausgegeben von Uhlig, Siegbert, ''Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: D-Ha'' (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2005), p. 871.</ref> This kingdom was at its height under king [[Ezana]], baptized as Abreha, in the 4th century AD (which was also when it officially embraced [[Christian]]ity).<ref>J.D. Fage, ''A History of Africa'' (London: Routledge, 2001). pp. 53-54. ISBN 0-415-25248-2</ref>
+The [[kingdom of Aksum]] had its own written language called [[Ge'ez language|Ge'ez]], and also developed a distinctive architecture exemplified by giant obelisks, called '''stelae''', the oldest of which (though much smaller) date from 5000-2000 BC.<ref>Herausgegeben von Uhlig, Siegbert, ''Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: D-Ha'' (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2005), p. 871.</ref> This kingdom was at its height under king [[Ezana]], baptized as Abreha, in the 4th century AD (which was also when it officially embraced [[Christian]]ity).<ref>J.D. Fage, ''A History of Africa'' (London: Routledge, 2001). pp. 53-54. ISBN 0-415-25248-2</ref>
+The [[Tewahedo Church|Ethiopian Orthodox Church]] claims that the [[Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion]] in Aksum houses the [[Bible|Biblical]] [[Ark of the Covenant]] in which lie the [[Tablets of Law]] upon which the [[Ten Commandments]] are inscribed.<ref name=Hodd>Hodd, Mike, ''Footprint East Africa Handbook'' (New York: Footprint Travel Guides, 2002), p. 859. ISBN 1-900949-65-2</ref> This same church was the site Ethiopian emperors were crowned for centuries until the reign of [[Fasilides of Ethiopia|Fasilides]], then again beginning with [[Yohannes IV of Ethiopia|Yohannes IV]] until the end of the empire. Aksum is considered by millions of Jews and Christians to be the holiest city in all Africa and is an important destination of pilgrimages.<ref name=Hodd /> Significant religious festivals are Enkutentash (New Year), the celebration of the anniversary of both Creation and the true historical birthday of Jesus Christ, both falling upon 11th of September 5500 years apart, the T'imqet Festival (known as the [[Epiphany (feast)|Epiphany]] in western Christianity, so called because an exceedingly great realization occurred at the moment Jesus was baptized, when the one true living Yahweh was finally visibly revealed to be a composite Tri-unity of three distinct, coequal, divine Personal Minds within one Eternal God-kind), which is traditionally celebrated the weekend on or preceeding the 19th of January, also Orthodox Christmas, called '''Ledat''' or '''G'na''', which is celebrated on the 7th of January and the [[Festival of Maryam Zion]] observed in late November.
+In 1937, a 24-metre tall, 1700-year-old [[Obelisk of Axum]] broken into five parts and lying on the ground, was found and shipped by [[Italy|Italian]] soldiers to [[Rome]] to be erected. The obelisk is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of engineering from the height of the Aksumite empire. Despite a 1947 [[United Nations]] agreement that the obelisk would be shipped back, Italy balked, resulting in a long-standing diplomatic dispute with the Ethiopian government, which views the obelisk as a symbol of national identity. In April 2005, Italy finally returned the obelisk pieces to Aksum amidst much official and public rejoicing, Italy also covered the $4 million costs of the transfer.  UNESCO has assumed responsibility for the re-installation of this stele in Aksum, and as of the end of July 2008 the obelisk has been reinstalled (see panographic photos in external links below).  Rededication of the obelisk took place on September 4, 2008 in Paris, France with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi dedicating the obelisk to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano for his kind efforts in returning the obelisk.
-The [[Tewahedo Church|Ethiopian Orthodox Church]] claims that the [[Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion]] in Aksum houses the [[Bible|Biblical]] [[Ark of the Covenant]] in which lie the [[Tablets of Law]] upon which the [[Ten Commandments]] are inscribed.<ref name=Hodd>Hodd, Mike, ''Footprint East Africa Handbook'' (New York: Footprint Travel Guides, 2002), p. 859. ISBN 1-900949-65-2</ref> This same church was the site Ethiopian emperors were crowned for centuries until the reign of [[Fasilides of Ethiopia|Fasilides]], then again beginning with [[Yohannes IV of Ethiopia|Yohannes IV]] until the end of the empire. Axum is considered to be the holiest city in Ethiopia and is an important destination of pilgrimages.<ref name=Hodd /> Significant religious festivals are the T'imk'et Festival (known as the [[Epiphany (feast)|Epiphany]] in western Christianity) on 7 January and the [[Festival of Maryam Zion]] in late November.
-In 1937, a 24-metre tall, 1700-year-old [[Obelisk of Axum]] broken into five parts and lying on the ground, was found and shipped by [[Italy|Italian]] soldiers to [[Rome]] to be erected. The obelisk is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of engineering from the height of the Axumite empire. Despite a 1947 [[United Nations]] agreement that the obelisk would be shipped back, Italy balked, resulting in a long-standing diplomatic dispute with the Ethiopian government, which views the obelisk as a symbol of national identity. In April 2005, Italy finally returned the obelisk pieces to Axum amidst much official and public rejoicing, Italy also covered the $4 million costs of the transfer.  UNESCO has assumed responsibility for the re-installation of this stele in Axum, and as of the end of July 2008 the obelisk has been reinstalled (see panographic photos in external links below).  Rededication of the obelisk took place on September 4, 2008 in Paris, France with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi dedicating the obelisk to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano for his kind efforts in returning the obelisk.
-== Axum and Islam ==
+== Aksum and Islam ==
-The Axumite Empire has a longstanding relationship with Islam. According to [[ibn Hisham]],<ref>ibn Hisham, ''The Life of the Prophet''</ref> when [[Prophet Muhammad]] faced oppression from the [[Quraysh (tribe)|Quraish]] clan, he sent a small group that included his daughter [[Ruqayya]] and her husband [[Uthman ibn Affan]], to whom [[Ashama ibn Abjar]], the king of Axum, gave refuge and protection and refused the requests of the Quraish clan to send these refugees back to Arabia. These refugees did not return until the sixth year of the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]] (AD [[628]]), and even then many remained in Ethiopia, eventually settling at [[Negash]] in eastern Tigray.
+The Aksumite Empire has a longstanding relationship with Islam. According to [[ibn Hisham]],<ref>ibn Hisham, ''The Life of the Prophet''</ref> when [[Prophet Muhammad]] faced oppression from the [[Quraysh (tribe)|Quraish]] clan, he sent a small group that included his daughter [[Ruqayya]] and her husband [[Uthman ibn Affan]], to whom [[Ashama ibn Abjar]], the king of Aksum, gave refuge and protection and refused the requests of the Quraish clan to send these refugees back to Arabia. These refugees did not return until the sixth year of the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]] (AD [[628]]), and even then many remained in Ethiopia, eventually settling at [[Negash]] in eastern Tigray.
-There are different traditions concerning the effect these early Muslims had on the ruler of Axum. The Muslim tradition is that the ruler of Axum was so impressed by these refugees that he became a secret convert.<ref>Ibn Ishaq, ''The Life of Muhammad'' (Oxford, 1955), 657-58.</ref> On the other hand, Arabic historians and Ethiopian tradition states that some of the Muslim refugees who lived in Ethiopia during this time converted to Orthodox Christianity. There is also a second Ethiopian tradition that, on the death of Ashama ibn Abjar, Muhammed is reported to have prayed for the king's soul, and told his followers, "Leave the Abyssinians in peace, as long as they do not take the offensive.<ref>Paul B. Henze, ''Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia'' (New York: Palgrave, 2000), pp. 42f</ref>
+There are different traditions concerning the effect these early Muslims had on the ruler of Aksum. The Muslim tradition is that the ruler of Aksum was so impressed by these refugees that he became a secret convert.<ref>Ibn Ishaq, ''The Life of Muhammad'' (Oxford, 1955), 657-58.</ref> On the other hand, Arabic historians and Ethiopian tradition states that some of the Muslim refugees who lived in Ethiopia during this time converted to Orthodox Christianity. There is also a second Ethiopian tradition that, on the death of Ashama ibn Abjar, Muhammed is reported to have prayed for the king's soul, and told his followers, "Leave the Abyssinians in peace, as long as they do not take the offensive.<ref>Paul B. Henze, ''Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia'' (New York: Palgrave, 2000), pp. 42f</ref>
 ==Main sights==
@@ Line 76: / Line 82: @@
 ==Demographics==
-Based on figures from the [[Central Statistical Agency (Ethiopia)|Central Statistical Agency]] in 2005, Axum has an estimated total population of 47,320 of whom 20,774 are men and 21,898 women.<ref>[http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics], Table B.4</ref> The 1994 national census reported a total population for this city of 27,148, of whom 12,536 were men and 14,612 were women. The largest ethnic group reported was the [[Tigray-Tigrinya people|Tigrayan]] (98.54%) and [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]] was spoken as a first language by 98.68%. The majority of the population practiced [[Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity]] with 85.08% reported as embracing that religion, while 14.81% were [[Islam in Ethiopia|Muslim]].<ref>[http://www.csa.gov.et/surveys/Population%20and%20Housing%20Census%201994/survey0/data/docs%5Creport%5CStatistical_Report%5Ck07%5Ck07_partI.pdf ''1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region'', Vol. 1, part 1], Tables 2.2, 2.13, 2.16, 2.20 (accessed 30 December 2008)</ref>
+Based on figures from the [[Central Statistical Agency (Ethiopia)|Central Statistical Agency]] in 2005, Aksum has an estimated total population of 47,320 of whom 20,774 are men and 21,898 women.<ref>[http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics], Table B.4</ref> The 1994 national census reported a total population for this city of 27,148, of whom 12,536 were men and 14,612 were women. The largest ethnic group reported was the [[Tigray-Tigrinya people|Tigrayan]] (98.54%) and [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]] was spoken as a first language by 98.68%. The majority of the population practiced [[Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity]] with 85.08% reported as embracing that religion, while 14.81% were [[Islam in Ethiopia|Muslim]].<ref>[http://www.csa.gov.et/surveys/Population%20and%20Housing%20Census%201994/survey0/data/docs%5Creport%5CStatistical_Report%5Ck07%5Ck07_partI.pdf ''1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region'', Vol. 1, part 1], Tables 2.2, 2.13, 2.16, 2.20 (accessed 30 December 2008)</ref>
-==Axum University==
+==Aksum University==
-Axum University was established in Axum in May 2006 on a green field site, 4 kilometers from the town center; the inauguration ceremony was held on 16 February 2007. The current area of the campus is 107 hectares, with ample room for potential expansion.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}
+Aksum University was established in Aksum in May 2006 on a green field site, 4 kilometers from the town center; the inauguration ceremony was held on 16 February 2007. The current area of the campus is 107 hectares, with ample room for potential expansion.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}
-The establishment of a University in Axum is expected to contribute much to the ongoing development of the country in general and of the region in particular.
+The establishment of a University in Aksum is expected to contribute much to the ongoing development of the country in general and of the region in particular.
 ==See also==