Ethiopian treasure restored
4th September 2008
One of Ethiopia’s greatest historical treasures has been restored to its former glory.
The Axum obelisk, or stele, was looted in 1937 by Italian troops during their occupation of the country. They found only one block standing while the other two sections of the obelisk lay on the ground, as they had for centuries.
The Italians shipped the three pieces, weighing a total of 150 tonnes, to Rome where the obelisk was reassembled on the Piazza.
The Axum stele, estimated to be around 1,700 years old, was returned to Ethiopia in 2005 following years of negotiations. It has now been rebuilt in its original position in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city.
Axum, near Ethiopia’s northern border with Eritrea, was the country’s second city and the home of the Axumite Empire. It was a key trading post between the 1st and 7th centuries AD.
A bigger obelisk once also stood on the site, but it’s thought to have fallen down shortly after its completion.
It’s believed that the obelisks were a show of the power and importance of the Axumite rulers who built them.
Tens of thousands of people are reported to have gathered to see the obelisk unveiled from behind a giant Ethiopian flag.
The unveiling marks the end of millennium celebrations – in Ethiopia’s calendar, based on the ancient Coptic calendar, the new year begins at the start of September.