Archaeologists = find Ethiopia's lost Islamic kingdom

From: Subject: Archaeologists find Ethiopia's lost Islamic kingdom Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 12:16:30 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0015_01C77069.C08CD300" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2527 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C77069.C08CD300 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.ttc.org/200703271821.l2riloj25834.htm Archaeologists = find Ethiopia's lost Islamic kingdom

=20

=20

= =20

The discovery was made in an=20 area about 11 kilometers (six miles) long, around 45 kilometers = (28 miles)=20 southeast of the town of Shoa Robit, in the Ifat region, the press = release=20 said.
BACK =20 =
&nb= sp; &nbs= p; =20

ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND ETHIOPIA'S LOST ISLAMIC = KINGDOM
Received Tuesday, 27 March 2007=20 18:21:00 GMT

PARIS, March 27, 2007 (AFP) = - French=20 archaeologists said on Tuesday that they had uncovered the remains = of=20 three large towns that may have been the heart of a legendary = Islamic=20 kingdom in Ethiopia.
    Ancient = manuscripts have=20 long told of the kingdom of Shoa, which between the 10th and 16th=20 centuries straddled key trade routes between the Christian = highlands and=20 Muslim ports on the Red Sea. But Shoa's precise place on the map = has never=20 been clear.
    The National Centre for = Scientific=20 Research (CNRS) said a team of archaeologists had laid bare the = remains of=20 three mediaeval towns, Asbari, Masal and Nora, on a high = escarpment of the=20 Rift Valley.
    Shoa -- also written as = Shewa --=20 was an autonomous state from about the 10th century until it was = absorbed=20 by the sultanate of Ifat at around the end of the 13th=20 century.
    The three towns "may have = constituted=20 the heart of the Shoa Muslim kingdom before it came under Ifat's = political=20 control," the researchers, led by the CNRS' Francois-Xavier = Fauvelle,=20 suggest.
    The area today is covered in = thick=20 brush and scrub, but still bears the vestiges of terraced farming = from=20 hundreds of years ago, it said in a press=20 release.
    "Mosques, residential areas, = walls and=20 various buildings whose remains are several metres (yards) high" = stud the=20 sites, the CNRS said.
    In Asbari, the = team found=20 the remarkably well-preserved remains of a mosque that they = believe to be=20 one of the biggest in Ethiopia, whose walls are adorned with = inscriptions=20 in Arabic. They also found a cemetery covering several hectares = (acres)=20 that contained hundreds of graves.
    In = Masal,=20 they found a necropolis with a tomb emblazoned with stars and = Arabic=20 inscriptions that may have been a royal=20 sepulture.
    Nora was clearly once a = "dense urban=20 centre," with a network of streets and the remains of roads, and = whose=20 main mosque has remains of walls up to five metres (17 feet) high. = The=20 archaeologists found large numbers of tools made of obsidian, a = rock that=20 is a kind of naturally occurring = glass.
    The=20 discovery was made in an area about 11 kilometers (six miles) = long, around=20 45 kilometers (28 miles) southeast of the town of Shoa Robit, in = the Ifat=20 region, the press release said.
    Further = work is=20 being planned for next year to map Nora and carry out a dig = there.

Search=20 our Archives

Google = It:
| Legendary Islamic Kingdom | =20 | Francois Xavier Fauvelle | =20 | Scientific Research | =20 | Sultanate Of Ifat | =20 | Kingdom Of Shoa | =20 | National Centre | =20 | Ri= ft Valley | =20 | Sh= oa Muslim | =20 | Sho= a Robit | =20 | Sout= heast | =20 | Chri= stian | =20 | Ethio= pia | =20 | Red&nb= sp;Sea | =20 | Islami= c | =20 | Mosque= s | =20 | Arabic<= /A> | =20 | Asbari<= /A> | =20 | Shewa | =20 | Masal | =20 | Paris | =20 | Nora&= nbsp;| =20

=20 Paris Style FAMU01 Tue, 27 = Mar 2007=20 18:26:31 GMT =A9=20 AFP
=

TOP<= /FONT>=20

= =20

|Press Review| |The Business Connection| |Front Page|
|Defense and Foreign Policy| = |Politics and Society| |Style|=20

The Tocqueville Connection, which is solely = responsible for=20 its contents, is sponsored by U.S.-CREST
Copyright 1996 - 2007 =A9 = U.S.-CREST=20 unless otherwise indicated - All rights reserved
FAMU01 Tue, 27 Mar = 2007=20 18:26:31 GMT=20 ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C77069.C08CD300 Content-Type: application/octet-stream Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Location: http://www.ttc.org/cgi-binloc/pageview.cgi?131591.665283203&fstyle&;fed;faccom;uscrest;gmf; ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C77069.C08CD300 Content-Type: image/gif Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Location: http://www.ttc.org/ttc-logo2.gif ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C77069.C08CD300 Content-Type: image/gif Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Location: http://www.ttc.org/fedcrbig.gif ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C77069.C08CD300 Content-Type: image/gif Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Location: http://www.ttc.org/void.gif ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C77069.C08CD300 Content-Type: image/gif Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Location: http://www.ttc.org/facc.gif ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C77069.C08CD300 Content-Type: image/gif Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-Location: http://www.ttc.org/gmflogo.gif R0lGODlhRgBGAPcAAAAAAAAACAAAEAAICAAIEAAQEIAAgAgACAgAEAgICAgIEAgQEBAAABAIABgA ABEDCwAAGAAAIQAIHAgAGAgEHBICGAgIIQ0QGQQBKgoOKRIKIxAYJQkIMhAQMQ0UPBAYSCEAACEA CBkLAyENBS0AADkAACsFAiwQAx0GFS4GEBsUGSsZEyIMJyUcJxwVOygaOzkACEYAAEEIAD4VAEAG Cj4XDD4PGD4YLVQEAk4XBk4WFE4ZKVsTA2oWAl4aHHceEyotO0gwMGEzJWE7Pi8xXDpLbFw9VFdU aHY5KnVMSoNDNptMOXRSXXdUbYtWY6NZYWFse3xzd4xvYop4gJ9sYZp9bJxugJiIhKt3ZMB3Y6l3 gr97gaeKfMWNdsWUfsWlfXR/npqIn66Jk6uQqsKHj8GckMGPncOVr6mqnr6wmculm8mzmaOmuK27 xcqmu8THyduQlt6llN6wlNmrpd+fqdyxqdumsd6ox9m9ndq5tNe+sNbNqtq7wtq51tfWx9fg4/aq gfO1pfmsqvTDrPnekPrlpfPOr/fjrfSwuPe9t+3IufnFt+fSufXSt/Dat/HsuPiyxvXBxe/GyvnI xefOyu/Rx/vSvfvSxevdy/fhxP/bw//nwe3yyvn1wv/5wP//xu+91+vK2f+90vzO0+fW1vHQ2/fW 1v/Wzu/b2+ro2f/W1vfr0v/e0v/nzv/n1v/vzufz2u/x2Of33uv72u//1u//3vfv1vf3zvf31vf/ zvf/1v/v1v/3zv/31v//zv//1vPE5vvP7ufW5+/W5+3W8f/W5/fW8//W7+fe5+/n4v/e3v/n3u/e 8f/Y9P/e8//e/+fn7+vv5/fn5/fv3vfv5//n5//v3v/v5+fr8+zp9PPr7/fs9P/n7//n9//n///v 7+v75/f33vf35/f/3uf38+f/7+f/9/P77/f/5/f/7//33v/35//37///3v//5///7+/39+//9/f3 9/f/9//v9//39///9+f3/+f//+/3/+////f3//f////v///3/////ywAAAAARgBGAAAI/gANCBxI sKDBgwgTKlzIsKFDFg4jSpxo0AUrOhQzakxIhJIVRHE2itxoJJAOgVzUjFwZEcwZGgTN3GFJMyEb PQen6JlRs6dAPCoRhnEjwifNMhgVQilDwqhIAWnQNDTix4nTjAK4WHUIJVGSqxKnhDo50Y0VsA2b uPGhkY8YtArFOhDJxQzcnFeKjiyz5y5BNWRqnhm0kYkTK0yMOHHShIoRK1qskGFCJYyaMw6Z6F0Y xc6TJoefMBli5QkVK0mYPFk8ZOAVO3ao6HyiBs2Uy1asSMnCxxEXhlbmjELksEmVKWHKcBHz2oyi M2jmkJnD54pGC3oCH7yhRsxvA26w/viVOOf7QCluxHwlKGbr+IZgVF5Ac2ZOiYNAEjV93zCSnzlP LBRGJfz5VF+BPcmhBYI0AREJTwyudEQUEbLEhXkVbmRZhnu1xqFGRHjxoYZ1jKhReSZSJIAeTFTo XkYVcCEEghRQIglhGzURSIFSoBGgFxhShEYa74FRxowCnSGFSHpQsdFcIMwl0GYGSGnAFZRQaUAV QWVEBCtLVCnQXA7MpVeZBYUhCR6IiGGKHX0oKQYffVwhhhhWrIGTQU3QcV9Go6hhhRpzmAHHGGrQ 4UYeZpiRxxxn5LERGl0SdMUcP1C0yBbviSGVQUDMcUJEKNQR5F1H2HFQEWUo0ZAL/t4xGEYc+xFE hBtOKvSCGusxGIUibBnUxqkD/YpkhUboQVZBZh0kRR21ZkiEGi8KhIaIBUURSA4pBsFHmH+VUdAU ZUCYIhCWLDjQtexhm+JAK34xUB/qGqAHH+8eZMhZBtShar925XsQFzv6gYcBZ5QoMEJujOLMInXs uTBCfGiySa4TJ0Rdxhxz/M/HIIcs8sgkl2zyySinrPLKLLe8skAgw4yyzCLTbLLMNrtswMg7z5zz QCnT3LPL/wytc9E150yy0kQb3fLONkMdtNNEI1011EP3TDXPBFX9sdNdn6y11l9P7XXISm9dMsxZ m33212CrHXPWRjONttxP42z3Gtx8930z3nnvfTfTYS8N9NuIJ6744oyTHBAAADs= ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C77069.C08CD300 Content-Type: image/gif Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Location: http://www.ttc.org/usclog70.gif ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C77069.C08CD300 Content-Type: image/gif Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-Location: http://www.ttc.org/2flagser.gif R0lGODlhWgA/APcAAMDAwPf3/////61CKe/v//f3xv/3/7VKMe/vvff397VKOb1aQu/n53N7tb1j SrVCKcZjUnuEvb1SOd7eta1KMffv78ZrWlJapefntdbe7+e9vd7n94SMxpSczmNrrUpSnOfe3s7O pUpapWNrtc57a9bOpcbO54yMvefO1t61tcZjSkJKlO/e3t61refWzmtrtefGztaEe8a9nNaMhLVC Mb1jUs7GnOfnvVpjra2t1sZrY8aUjO/ntYyUxsZzY85zY9bWrZylzq213lpjpXNzrdacnNaUjKWt 1mtrrc57c96tnL2tlMa1lHtztdaclNaUhM6thNbOvca9pZSMc721jLW93jlKlDFCjK1CObVrWrWl jNbGnHuEpVJare/W1ufOzt6tree9ta1KOcZSOe/epa2lhNbW57293nt7rWNjlFpSUqVKQta9tXNa UqWUhIx7a97OvbWUc9bGrZSEa5yUe3uEtVJSlLWt1t7W597W1rWlpbWcnK2UlNalpZxaSoRrY617 a62cjGtaSpyUjKWUc8bGrbW1lJSUtVpalJyMvc69xoRra9atrVpCQs6UlMZ7c96llLV7a61aQu/e 1oxrWs61pb2Ue717UnNjUu/n3sale97Ord7WvXNza+/355ylxrW958bGzpSUxrWtxq2lvaWUtc69 1satvZR7hLW1tWNaWkpCQmtCQntrY4RaQrWcjJRrUr2Ma3tjSs6le5x7WqWEWq2Ua9a9jJSMe62t jHN7c8bW55ycxpyczoyEraWcxox7tWNShIx7pcat1oxrjJSMjHtzc72Ee+/OxsaEc7WEc71zWqVr Us6EY6VaOYRjUqVzWqVrQq1rOVJKQtathO/exqWMa7WMUt7GlM6ta7Wle62cc62ljNbOnGNjWoyc nMbG3lpae0pKe2NSlGtje5yErbV7lIxja7V7hHt7e8Z7WqVzStalc62lnOfWvda1e621nJylpUpa hEpSlHt7hHtzhLWltXNjc3tKY7VrewAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACH5BAEAAAAALAAAAABaAD8A QAj+AAEIHEiwoMGDCBMqXMiwocOHADCUkQEvlbBwhW4g4NEQQQEMcngUgEiyZIF0XBqoHOFhxIkG OXpk6JHDAxI9i4Ac9CjDUAIQFZZwiRBhhIgPK65YSfptZMmCBQrwkMFHUYJN6lQsqLEDT4AADIro 0OHIxLAqJoIEIdKECJETQUzQzKCoTSUt06YJGlShhQs2qFQKEdKhwQgcFy506RKEwNevjkeFQPBw gpQJmOZoqQQDBYMABgxU0DDDwo8ZGr4mUAJBBwoDCVpAgODoc4AvMVTUmAGDAQFFwnLwCpLB8YYN JmJyeNFjgwABAZ4/j/7YyAIJCg6IwSKHykMM2gD+VSgCIQaYBAH6khhjoQiLryyeaN1RIYCGGgoc XLJREMOEKatMscc4Q3gQQQZfQTeddNQlMIMEEGZ3wAEDVHgABZaQ4VABCHDCBAoEMDCDAw4UYRtu CmChQCTeCRSVUwtNICMAIUTFQxSOPfbVE9hN+MADA1A4wANi3PJUQRPYYMNIPFB25JMDFUBBhVRW GA2MUEKJgBtT5MFACRNkKeaYAoXAByIeVNFABCI0QMQFpnxAihuFhKkQHTIEQAABIPzSAGJcpHID mTECgAAQtvihwAIOODJMEw30EsEuHWQgyhFEJUbEEKP4IkgnE8CY5CtfZeLGPUhwUJQHLxz1gQj+ sDZGwCmGkITBG63MwYRtFYSBAmhfMdBHEk7AoFoKJDiwgy/AAIOGKRs8xgAkNUhiAW/oNAJLHC3A EQAIh0TAyy4EIFfYYR6kCV10Ck6npxF+lPAUFFIoYQEJKaDHQhEWLPCDEyCEFltrqRkAAwRj+ABi BaxBsMACWcRSDxF2fDBEgSpFwEGl0rVLnQAGBACJVtjRoAAFUw7gACAO2YAJJSCsdm8K9SWgQRIO LDADiAF4kcQCEFCTjRz1bbIOKy0OJAMdueihhiuDCODYgtCFHBoKFkhAg48XDkBDhc1oaKsWS7BR hFcMPKFAfkwQulAcFqAM5IVAVnlMLFi6rff+3nx3JJB/AiHgZN+EMyQFEBwSook28hbu+EFRFXNB A63iYMcV8oQAwKAKFTABEHt4QgAer6CCweCPM1TCOEeoOkIDF7xQxwlnnHAEDqjosklCCJRBRwUE JLBEKUWtsIIVyHPBeep/M0PBGsHgwOpLVYgCSg5V9NCDB4hcwMUexpSAAVQ3LBEiA4SQ84Jhhn3g /lIirBDK8mMWYIgWIQSywxqLOvAIz2EwB/FM0Iu0CIFyabgAEhoQijrkYBC0+MIfvKEGXTSCEJlw gQusoQoDceCDioGVCLpwgQ7syTEZGIROINK7P7jBKiHaAQR2oIFofUsJP7BADFLgGBSUAhz+PTgB GtDQBF7goTiQYUEfLMCKQFRiEUuoRiVAoAFiIOEEQthABjDlARx0YQg4OEKCPOYYe8gAdQcJgSHU oAooLCEBDPiMAUAGFgagJz1hIMECSHCeAJyiHInIEQucoIIZpiYACfACGCzghzawgQHDAEYOkLin 5EQgYwhS0MfcZR10UCALt0DjTrRAB034IAWIhMEMSGAEY4XMCzhcQAxA8BUNWEAHqOzZDHTTB8cQ gAVhmEEygpEGInDgBBzIQQ460IEPRkAIH2NXu0JmnbVZE2U0cMYWGlIAZiygCAlIQApyGANjfQWW DjPCe+zjgz3SkgUxqEEWHAAFMowvIoL+4AMa7HCBIbxAFByoAgEYtCDqwGYG18GONYV0gAfEwiET qIUYHMAI9GjgByo4pQ0Z4ASH8SZ4StCKEbawAyZYgiMEmYAMvCGDOfyBGCYYo8cUFJoKrOcAEphQ Q+s2pVlARCKwAERGfxWbfjnACLQMwCSe4IA1LAAaZODBFm4wiRIwAQGnM0gBluAJjyyBCnqAjCZD E4AUQCA7EnjAAbZWpWUcqQDc0AIDdrCA/znmCyRQwAB2MAuUQilvGGBCCKR2GwjoVKd1AxIFLvHX EEiBE1KQgw+wQIFILIl5LioABKiUWCoxtn6YfcgWHFAlKIT2tKhNrWqf4pEJuIMKE7j+52odZxlc vKEaLogDmGbbtxJERSA3SIUoucnbjsiIHkghwhGuEI5cIEBsC5GBDdiABxeEwAbDne0EblCMYNih C+CIwBHOcIEe2KEQEVkIEOZAB9/w6RR1QEQ8sntaBNzgG+L4ABI+0YEq0G4EdUAKF4yhi8ZBTgaE cEECQhSKXhDBfUlJgxRUW4AQDEIcK/hEBExQqR4I4XUfuAARVpCHNtjJIDcogA2iUIEEAOYEEbgA UpRyhStw4cSp85wm8HGIQwQhB6AAxRE6cMkvXuAQnxhFExYxBc0d5A1RiJkUzkGEF7wAByv4APKU Er8o0JdQPOAGNMSwNmKYoQcmEAL+puqAhAs0IQ1BOMEuRHEHYfxBDmgMQRkmIbootCENDeDACEbQ haMYD1YN2EAe9uDXMR1qEzfYhh9UpIAanCIAG0jETAqzPg98ogEmOIEZ4HKBebQCExNAQGxL4AZB sDgBcHhGGl5AZA9cwFUrgNULirMnPUghb7aaTC5M0YJIKEACDsClYxLALx2U4g5NiEATPECKE2Sg A2dowiHsgIYzlIMSk+CDGlahhlZkggFwgMOfG9CBIS8nMSJIzAg2kKOvmCEQK/wOId4QCE4ELw9J kIQDePMYGCQBAj4AQwDMQARfNOEXQaiCGY4ghCFYO0cVmAIrbMHGP7igBHCoQCD+FsgBIVRBVThA DBgT/Rh3BUARZ2SIDEoQgjkswQV6IoAGYhCGDYTMZkkgwQ8YcSIS5IMUiTDDHUJ9BgKELACZiOei 1iCLEsQBDltgQAX4gAQ0ZBE5QlgVDobAganN9DF6uKpCENCJVbRhD/UJADICBiwGaIAR6wxAfHJW BAPcYQN3SITPv9ICHzgAAkUAgWMYcI5GyMIGFagA0nMQLQJk4AxBiMALWFV2dnmeOgFAAX4cwJ+E AAEXlGAyCHrz9MeEhgFhSIJuYrBOW5rD6XLXQcLMmQAX/AwCPyCBMvIwihPcoTjPIYAZOLymBkDT 82dnwTIWQAMakBkK9P2IFt7+QItk/GAHDAgZR3VAAif8KjTwXIBrQhYGCDigBcAi5AIUpiNTIOEX J+iACTKQARNcr5lEkQEds0nRYQBekDVrgwUX4gASkDQHIQOTAQWA8BlgQAJJkC/Q4QJPAAESYAFg 4HMGoAEQUAMF4wIWoAAQcEguwBoPUwNoYhOvAyk9oCob4xzSRIACAAJZg1NrcCE0MCVZYAkNwQPt 5AB9EDIaoEcQoE7A4gIxIAGuER0mWFe0lAAxoAA6kAWuYAkFAARMMAVcEGIFMmhEEVMhQzUEdTBa owBiMCEU8IMV4gwNwQRxoAzo0QcqoAJOgB4GwACsIQE+cEgBIBsSkASfcYD+CuAIWVB6AiEDE/AM U1AIaIAIOIAEdWBC0KdJzzFHKMCBByAha/UAKRMJwIYQW+AHWbAAKpBL8bEAYxADvxIdMPADyNZH KcCAEHAJsFAGHJFVALBVmEBK5DAEDZBJmRhNAnCLC7BWPoIyVHIA7/AQNuAKklAEhGcBKgB+AtMC P8AokBAtFeAEDlADzcAORJMAW0AFsiUQhtAI7YALn2IbLdcuVSMyKgAhPsJTUxIN0NUQEyALtRAK svED5gQCTCUBEMAIy9YCKuA/0nAN4OcYcUAJTQYVMlIBbtAJtIBzY1SAwBIARjAGa5NWDRUkQyIG 6+gQvTMHDmABX5AeRsDOgfiiGi1gAViABVCQDd0AACUABbYQSqejEQcBBDUCADZQAlCmI2SldxYw Bvj4I5ylMqXYECVgDXlSASPiADykJy3gABRAWdiQJQYmEBOAc/UmghDyIztVJYDggCURAoUQBeSn eOLkACfjAFNJJiUQBaJzhT5SIUCSWNKQlw2hESFAXQRQAU+wBjSQBaHFA5KQMl8DmJR5DWEpJgWw Ba+wDQ5ADVSgCW2DWgVAmVUyABRgWmOyQv04W91QA6V5DD5VXIXDCVRSC4Qpm6sVEAAAOw== ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C77069.C08CD300 Content-Type: image/gif Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Location: http://www.ttc.org/blured.gif ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01C77069.C08CD300--

ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND ETHIOPIA'S LOST ISLAMIC = KINGDOMReceived Tuesday, 27 March 2007=20 18:21:00 GMT

ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND ETHIOPIA'S LOST ISLAMIC = KINGDOM
Received Tuesday, 27 March 2007=20 18:21:00 GMT