Dahlak Archipelago
Encyclopedia
The Dahlak Archipelago is an island group located in the Red Sea
near Massawa
, Eritrea
. It consists of two large and 124 small islands. The pearl
fisheries of the archipelago
have been famous since Roman times and still produce a substantial number of pearls. Only four of the islands are permanently inhabited, of which Dahlak Kebir
is the largest and most populated. Other inhabited islands of the archipelago are Dhuladhiya, Dissei, Dohul, Erwa, Harat, Harmil
, Isra-Tu, Nahaleg
, Norah and Shumma, although not all are permanently inhabited.
The islands are home to a diverse marine life and sea-birds, and attract an increasing number of tourists
. The people of the archipelago speak Dahlik
. The islands can be reached by boat from Massawa.
called "Alalaiou" in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
, which were a source of tortoise shell, with the Dahlak archipelago. According to Edward Ullendorff
, the Dahlak islanders were amongst the first in East Africa to convert to Islam
, and a number of tombstones in Kufic
writing attest to this early connection.
In the 7th century an independent Muslim state emerged in the archipleago, but it was subsequently conquered by Yemen
, then intermittently by the Kingdom of Medri-Bahri (Land of the Sea) 1517, when the Ottoman Turks
conquered them and placed the islands under the rule of the Pasha
at Suakin
as part of the province of Habesh
.
The archipelago became part of the Italian
colony of Eritrea
, when it was formed in 1890. However, during this time the islands were home to little else except a prison operated by the Italian Colonial Forces.
After Ethiopia allied itself with the Soviet Union
during the Cold War, following the rise of the Derg
, the Dahlak Archipelago was the location of a Soviet Navy
base. In 1990, Ethiopia lost control of the Dahlak Archipelago and the northern Eritrean coast to the Eritrean independence movement EPLF and by 1991 Ethiopia had lost control of all of Eritrea. Following the international recognition of Eritrean
independence in 1993, the Dahlak Archipelago became a part of Eritrea.
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
near Massawa
Massawa
Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa (Ge'ez ምጽዋዕ , formerly ባጽዕ is a city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. An important port for many centuries, it was ruled by a succession of polities, including the Axumite Empire, the Umayyad Caliphate,...
, Eritrea
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...
. It consists of two large and 124 small islands. The pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
fisheries of the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
have been famous since Roman times and still produce a substantial number of pearls. Only four of the islands are permanently inhabited, of which Dahlak Kebir
Dahlak Kebir
Dahlak Kebir is the largest island of the Dahlak Archipelago. Situated in the Red Sea off of the coast of Eritrea, it was formerly called Dahlak Deset.-Overview:Dahlak Kebir has a population of around 2,500 people speaking Dahlik...
is the largest and most populated. Other inhabited islands of the archipelago are Dhuladhiya, Dissei, Dohul, Erwa, Harat, Harmil
Harmil
Harmil is an uninhabitated island in Eritrea and part of the Dahlak Archipelago.-See also:*List of islands of Africa...
, Isra-Tu, Nahaleg
Nahaleg
Nahaleg is an island in the Dahlak Archipelago, Eritrea. It has an area of 105 km2....
, Norah and Shumma, although not all are permanently inhabited.
The islands are home to a diverse marine life and sea-birds, and attract an increasing number of tourists
Tourism in Eritrea
Tourism in Eritrea made up 2% of the country's economy up to 1997. After 1998, revenues from tourism fell to one quarter of 1997 levels. In 2006 it made up less than 1% of the country's GDP. The World Tourism Organization calculated that the country's international tourism receipts in 2002 were...
. The people of the archipelago speak Dahlik
Dahlik language
Dahalik is a language spoken exclusively in Eritrea off the coast of Massawa, on three islands in the Dahlak Archipelago: Dahlak Kebir, Nora and Dehil...
. The islands can be reached by boat from Massawa.
History
G.W.B. Huntingford has identified a group of islands near AdulisAdulis
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...
called "Alalaiou" in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea or Periplus of the Red Sea is a Greco-Roman periplus, written in Greek, describing navigation and trading opportunities from Roman Egyptian ports like Berenice along the coast of the Red Sea, and others along Northeast Africa and India...
, which were a source of tortoise shell, with the Dahlak archipelago. According to Edward Ullendorff
Edward Ullendorff
Edward Ullendorff FBA was a British scholar and historian, especially in Semitic languages and Ethiopia.-Biography:...
, the Dahlak islanders were amongst the first in East Africa to convert to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and a number of tombstones in Kufic
Kufic
Kufic is the oldest calligraphic form of the various Arabic scripts and consists of a modified form of the old Nabataean script. Its name is derived from the city of Kufa, Iraq, although it was known in Mesopotamia at least 100 years before the foundation of Kufa. At the time of the emergence of...
writing attest to this early connection.
In the 7th century an independent Muslim state emerged in the archipleago, but it was subsequently conquered by Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, then intermittently by the Kingdom of Medri-Bahri (Land of the Sea) 1517, when the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
conquered them and placed the islands under the rule of the Pasha
Pasha
Pasha or pascha, formerly bashaw, was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries. As an honorary title, Pasha, in one of its various ranks, is equivalent to the British title of Lord, and was also one of the highest titles in...
at Suakin
Suakin
Suakin or Sawakin is a port in north-eastern Sudan, on the west coast of the Red Sea. In 1983 it had a population of 18,030 and the 2009 estimate is 43, 337.It was formerly the region's chief port, but is now secondary to Port Sudan, about 30 miles north. The old city built of coral is in ruins...
as part of the province of Habesh
Habesh
Habesh Eyalet was an Ottoman eyalet that bordered the Red Sea. It comprised Massawa, Hergigo, Suakin and their hinterlands. Later it would also incorporate Zeila and western Somaliland...
.
The archipelago became part of the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
colony of Eritrea
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...
, when it was formed in 1890. However, during this time the islands were home to little else except a prison operated by the Italian Colonial Forces.
After Ethiopia allied itself with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
during the Cold War, following the rise of the Derg
Derg
The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of...
, the Dahlak Archipelago was the location of a Soviet Navy
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
base. In 1990, Ethiopia lost control of the Dahlak Archipelago and the northern Eritrean coast to the Eritrean independence movement EPLF and by 1991 Ethiopia had lost control of all of Eritrea. Following the international recognition of Eritrean
independence in 1993, the Dahlak Archipelago became a part of Eritrea.
External links
- Dahlak - Reef pearls of the Red Sea - Dahlak Islands informative site