Akkele Guzay
Encyclopedia
Akkele Guzay was a province in the interior of Eritrea
until 1996, when the newly independent government of Eritrea consolidated all provinces into six regions
. Akkele Guzay's population predominantly consisted of followers of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church
. Traditionally being part of the Kebessa (Highlands in Eritrea), it is the locality of the town of Dekemhare
. The province is now mostly part of the Southern Red Sea and Debub (Southern) regions.
, the earliest example of the script in the world. It was part of the Kingdom of D'mt that would evolve into the Kingdom of Aksum. Its name has been connected by some to the Gaze of the Monumentum Adulitanum
(which later medieval Greek notes in the margins associate with the Aksumite people). If the note regarding the Gaze is accurate, it would connect the name of Akkele Guzay to the Ag`azyan or Agazi (i.e. Ge'ez
speakers) of the kingdom of D'mt in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia
who later became the Tigray-Tigrinya and Tigre
. This connection has been rejected by linguists in modern times, however, due to the lack of the middle voiced pharyngeal fricative
in the triliteral
root, which is usually preserved in Tigrinya
(the main language in Akkele Guzay). Instead, the name may be connected with the Agwezat clan conquered by the 4th century King Ezana of Axum
and the Agaze (unvocalized 'GZ, referring either to a person or a group) of the Hawulti
at Matara
. Along with Agame
in Ethiopia, it was a main center of Aksumite culture (second only to Western Tigray, where the capital was located), with a distinct sub-culture that separated the two regions from that of Western Tigray (Shire
, Axum
, Yeha
), Central Eritrea (Seraye
, Hamasien
, and Adulis
), and frontier areas in northern Eritrea and Central Ethiopia. During medieval times, parts of southern Akkele Guzay were briefly part of the larger province of Bur in Ethiopia, which also included Agame
, some northeastern Afar
lowlands, and the Buri Peninsula
; southern Akkele Guzay and Agame were part of "Upper" (La'ilay) Bur, while the lowlands were further distinguished as "Lower" (Tahtay).
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
until 1996, when the newly independent government of Eritrea consolidated all provinces into six regions
Regions of Eritrea
||At the time of Independence in 1993 Eritrea was arranged into ten provinces. These provinces were similar to the nine provinces operating during the colonial period. In 1996, these were consolidated into six regions...
. Akkele Guzay's population predominantly consisted of followers of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church
The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church is an Oriental Orthodox church. Its autocephaly was recognised by Pope Shenouda III after Eritrea gained its independence in 1993.-Origins:...
. Traditionally being part of the Kebessa (Highlands in Eritrea), it is the locality of the town of Dekemhare
Dekemhare
Dekemhare is a town in Eritrea, lying south east of Asmara. Developed by the Italians as an industrial centre, it became known for its vineyards but was largely destroyed in the Eritrean War of Independence.-History:...
. The province is now mostly part of the Southern Red Sea and Debub (Southern) regions.
History
Akkele Guzay is one of the most ancient regions of Eritrea, with an inscriptional record going back to at least the 9th century BC9th century BC
The 9th century BC started the first day of 900 BC and ended the last day of 801 BC.- Overview :The 9th century BC was a period of great changes in civilizations. In Africa, Carthage is founded by the Phoenicians...
, the earliest example of the script in the world. It was part of the Kingdom of D'mt that would evolve into the Kingdom of Aksum. Its name has been connected by some to the Gaze of the Monumentum Adulitanum
Monumentum Adulitanum
The Monumentum Adulitanum was an ancient Adulite inscription in Greek and Ge'ez depicting the military campaigns of an Adulite king. Though the inscription and the monument have never been located by archaeologists we know about it through the copying of the inscription by Cosmas Indicopleustes, a...
(which later medieval Greek notes in the margins associate with the Aksumite people). If the note regarding the Gaze is accurate, it would connect the name of Akkele Guzay to the Ag`azyan or Agazi (i.e. Ge'ez
Ge'ez language
Ge'ez is an ancient South Semitic language that developed in the northern region of Ethiopia and southern Eritrea in the Horn of Africa...
speakers) of the kingdom of D'mt in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
who later became the Tigray-Tigrinya and Tigre
Tigre people
The Tigre are an ethnic group residing in Eritrea and Sudan. They are a nomadic and pastoralist people, related to the Tigray-Tigrinya people of Eritrea and Ethiopia and to the Beja people of Sudan.-History:...
. This connection has been rejected by linguists in modern times, however, due to the lack of the middle voiced pharyngeal fricative
Voiced pharyngeal fricative
The voiced pharyngeal approximant or fricative is a type of consonantal sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents it is , and the equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is ?\....
in the triliteral
Triliteral
The roots of verbs and most nouns in the Semitic languages are characterized as a sequence of consonants or "radicals"...
root, which is usually preserved in Tigrinya
Tigrinya language
Tigrinya , also spelled Tigrigna, Tigrnia, Tigrina, Tigriña, less commonly Tigrinian, Tigrinyan, is a Semitic language spoken by the Tigrinya people in central Eritrea , where it is one of the two main languages of Eritrea, and in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia , where it...
(the main language in Akkele Guzay). Instead, the name may be connected with the Agwezat clan conquered by the 4th century King Ezana of Axum
Ezana of Axum
Ezana of Axum , was ruler of the Axumite Kingdom located in present-day Ethiopia, Eritrea, Yemen, he himself employed the style "king of Saba and Salhen, Himyar and Dhu-Raydan"...
and the Agaze (unvocalized 'GZ, referring either to a person or a group) of the Hawulti
Hawulti (monument)
The Hawulti is an Aksumite era obelisk located in Matara, Eritrea. It bears what has been described as the oldest known example of the old Ge'ez script .- Description :...
at Matara
Matara, Eritrea
Matara is an archaeological site in Eritrea. Situated a few kilometers south of Senafe, it was a major city in the Dʿmt and Aksumite kingdoms. Since Eritrean independence, the National Museum of Eritrea has petitioned the Ethiopian government to return artifacts removed from the site...
. Along with Agame
Agame
The Agame is a former province in northern Ethiopia, now part of the Tigray Region. Its inhabitants include the Irob people, a region where tradition states the legendary Makeda was born and raised...
in Ethiopia, it was a main center of Aksumite culture (second only to Western Tigray, where the capital was located), with a distinct sub-culture that separated the two regions from that of Western Tigray (Shire
Shire, Ethiopia
Shire , also known as Inda Selassie , is a town in northern Ethiopia. The administrative center of the Mirabawi Zone of the Tigray region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an altitude of 1953 meters above sea level...
, Axum
Axum
Axum or Aksum is a city in northern Ethiopia which was the original capital of the eponymous kingdom of Axum. Population 56,500 . Axum was a naval and trading power that ruled the region from ca. 400 BC into the 10th century...
, Yeha
Yeha
Yeha is a town in northern Ethiopia, located in the Mehakelegnaw Zone of the Tigray Region. The Central Statistical Agency has not published an estimate for this village's 2005 population.- Archeology :...
), Central Eritrea (Seraye
Provinces of Eritrea
The Provinces of Eritrea existed between Eritrea's incorporation as a Colony of Italy until the conversion of the provinces into administrative regions....
, Hamasien
Hamasien
Hamasien was the name of an histoical province including and surrounding Asmara, now part of modern Eritrea. The region has been divided and distributed amongst the modern Maekel, Debub, Northern Red Sea, Gash-Barka and Anseba regions....
, and Adulis
Adulis
Adulis or Aduli is an archeological site in the Northern Red Sea region of Eritrea, about 30 miles south of Massawa. It was the port of the Kingdom of Aksum, located on the coast of the Red Sea. Adulis Bay is named after the port...
), and frontier areas in northern Eritrea and Central Ethiopia. During medieval times, parts of southern Akkele Guzay were briefly part of the larger province of Bur in Ethiopia, which also included Agame
Agame
The Agame is a former province in northern Ethiopia, now part of the Tigray Region. Its inhabitants include the Irob people, a region where tradition states the legendary Makeda was born and raised...
, some northeastern Afar
Afar people
The Afar , also known as the Danakil, are an ethnic group in the Horn of Africa. They primarily live in the Afar Region of Ethiopia and in northern Djibouti, although some also inhabit the southern point of Eritrea.-Early history:...
lowlands, and the Buri Peninsula
Buri Peninsula
The Buri Peninsula extends from central Eritrea north into the Red Sea. To its west lies the Gulf of Zula. Varied in geography, it features mangroves and salt pans. It is known for its wildlife, including ostriches, hamadryas baboons and wild asses. Notable elevations include Mount Dulhi and...
; southern Akkele Guzay and Agame were part of "Upper" (La'ilay) Bur, while the lowlands were further distinguished as "Lower" (Tahtay).