Ethiopian obelisk to go home at last

[emad]

John Hooper in Rome
Monday January 3, 2005
The Guardian

A long-running cultural and diplomatic wrangle looks likely to be resolved within months, with the return of a 1,700-year-old obelisk that was hauled out of Ethiopia by Italian colonial troops in the fascist era.

The government in Addis Ababa announced this week that the treasured stone column would be flown home from Rome in May, putting an end to years of procrastination and 18 months of logistical delays.

Italy first promised to give back the Axum obelisk in 1947. But it was not until November 2003 that Silvio Berlusconi's government signed a deal with the authorities in Addis Ababa, and the 200-tonne column was divided into sections for its return journey.

Until then the obelisk, which Ethiopians regard as a symbol of their national identity, had stood incongruously outside the headquarters of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome, being besmirched by traffic pollution. Benito Mussolini had ordered the column to be erected as a memorial to the defeat and subjugation of Ethiopia.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/italy/story/0,12576,1382311,00.html

[brainshrub]

1. 58 years overdue is lighting-fast for the Italians

Take a look at this great flash animation. Funny as hell.

http://www.flashplayer.com/animation/europeanditaly.html

[emad]

2. Thanks..

[maxsolomon]

3. ethiopia is high on my to-visit list

gotta get to aksum & see that ark of the covenant!

[alfredo]

5. They won't let you in to see it. Your best chance is to go during

the religious festival where they move the ark from the small church to the large church. I can't remember the name of the festival.

Be sure to visit Mitara, Gondar, and Lalibela. Addis Abeba (new flower) is the world's largest village. If you get the chance to visit Eritrea, please do, but do check with the State Department before you do.

http://www.ethiopiatravel.com/Lalibela_eng.htm

visit Mekele to see the Abraha castle. I spent a night there. At the time I visited it, the castle was owned by the De Ponti family. A good time to visit Mekele is during Meskele, the finding of the true cross by St Helen.



Edited to add metara. It is a magical region.
http://members.aol.com/atobrukh/archaeology/matara/matara.html?f=fs

[alfredo]

4. Axum is a must see. I have visited it on several occassions

The Stele have to be seen. Many people believe the Ark of the Covenant is housed there.

http://www.hp.uab.edu/image_archive/um/umn.html

Here's the main church in Axum. Next to the bell tower is the church that housed the Ark of the Covenant. In the basement was the crown jewels of Ethiopia. At that time the only guard was a priest at the front door of the church. He was the only one allowed to see the Ark. A priest showed me a carving reputed to be the likeness of the Queen of Sheba.



I am glad the Stele is returning home where it belongs.