Harlaa
Harlaa
Ethiopia · Dire Dawa
In brief
Excavations at Harlaa have uncovered settlement remains, workshops, mosques and cemeteries dating from approximately the mid-6th century to the 15th century. Imported ceramics and beads show the settlement's connections with Red Sea and Indian Ocean trade networks.
What was found?
- 1Agate bead production waste
Knapping debris, unfinished beads and completed beads document local production. According to researchers, the heating and drilling techniques resemble traditions in India's Gujarat region.
- 2Glass beads
Chemical analyses show that the samples examined came from different distant regions. The possibility of local glass bead production has not yet been confirmed.
- 3Worked seashells
Cut shells, beads and bracelet production waste were found. These show that raw materials of marine origin were processed inland.
- 4Chinese celadon ceramics
The green-glazed vessel fragments include Longquan products. The reworking of some imported fragments into discs shows that they were adapted for local use.
- 5Mosque remains with a mihrab
The mihrab, built from cut travertine blocks, documents an Islamic place of worship in the settlement. New excavations are also investigating early mosques.
What does it point to?
Harlaa was a center of trade and craft production where goods from distant places were used and raw materials were processed. According to researchers, production techniques and mosque architecture show that knowledge and beliefs circulated alongside goods.
What did it teach us?
- It provided concrete evidence that the Ethiopian interior was connected to Red Sea and Indian Ocean trade networks.
- It showed that imported goods were reworked to suit local tastes.
- The mosque remains provided material evidence for the history of Muslim communities in eastern Ethiopia.
Latest news / selected archive
In 2024, the University of Exeter reported that new excavations had begun at two early mosques dating from the mid-12th century to the mid-13th century.
Record
- Culture
- Medieval Islamic trading and craft community
- First modern dig
- 2015
- Team / historical
- Timothy Insoll; Exeter Üniversitesi, Ethiopian Heritage Authority ve Dire Dawa Culture and Tourism Office
- Coordinates
- 9.4862°, 41.9103°
Sources
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