Stone Monuments, Tools, Potteries and Artifacts of the Mahbere Degou, Haoulti and Melazo Archaeological Complex of the Aksum-Yeha Region of Tigrai State: New and Preliminary Investigations and Plans to Salvage these Sites for the Promotion of Heritage Tou

Abstract

Degou town which is 14 Kms from Aksum town in Northern Ethiopia has revealed several ruins and archaeological assemblages of the early pre-Aksumite, Late Post-Aksumite, Early Aksumite and Early Post-Aksumite site clusters. Degou in Tigrinya literally means: Land of Generous people. In 1973 Anfray (Journal of Ethiopian Studies, Vol.xi) and in 1974 Joseph W. Michels made a principal survey of these sites by which they depicted the archaeo-topographical changing settlement patterns in the Aksum-Yeha region of Ethiopia. On the way to Degou from Aksum, (about 5 kms), the author found a few prehistoric sites towards the eastern side on a disparate chain of cliffs which needs a detailed examination and test pit excavations. Much more remains to be explored, surveyed and assessed on the above said sites by which his team has earnestly tried to explore the vicinity and the periphery of those sites which has not been surveyed by western scholars.