Mekelle: 31 December 2023 (Tigray Herald)
The Aksumites invent the Geez script.
The #Aksumites are credited with inventing the Geez script, a significant cultural and linguistic milestone in the Horn of Africa. In the 6th century AD, this script emerged in the Tigray region of Ethiopia and was linked to the Semitic Ge’ez language. Its historical origins can be traced back to the Aksumites, not the ambiguous Sabaeans, as some have inaccurately claimed. The Geez script was developed by scholarly figures from #Tigray, representing a unique contribution to the region’s history.
Contrary to a humorous statement by the Ministry of Education of Ethiopia that ” #Geez came from Greece and Arabia,” there is no truth to this claim. Geez was distinctly crafted by the Aksumites, particularly the scholars from Tigray. Previous misconceptions suggested that Geez originated from South Arabia due to differences in writing direction compared to Arabic. However, Ge’ez is written left to right, while Arabic is written right to left. The powerful Aksumite kingdom’s influence led to the Ge’ez language’s spread across Egypt, the eastern Mediterranean, and Arabia.
The ancient state of Damat was located to the south of Axum in Tigray.
It was the first locally known site in Ethiopia. Damat established its external relations with south Arabia . It is also known that Damat used the port of Adulis as an outlet for its trade. E all knows Adulis was Tigray, Treaty of Ucciali sabotage, May 2, 1889 signed by z Italians & Menilek II granted z northern Tigray now modern Eritrea, Bahr Negash territories of Bogos, Hamasen, Akale-Guzai, etc.. and the Italian successfully manipulates and inject a new identity so-called the Eritrea and concord oppressed them for 60 years. That’s where you get the identity crisis.
The Amharic alphabet, derived from Geez, shares its structure and consists of 33 characters, each with 7 variations for consonant-vowel combinations. It should be noted that there is no nation called Amhara, but rather Amharic speakers. The emergence of this new identity includes various ethnic groups such as Agow, Weto, Shansha, Kemise and Bati Oromo, Qmant, and Amara (Gafut, Zarta).
Axum lost its south Arabian territories because of
the Persian invasion. The Persians controlled the
whole of Arabia by the year 602 A.D. After this,
the Persians interrupted Axumite trade with
India and Ceylon
The circumstance which led to the power of this dynasty as well as the number of kings who ruled the kingdom is uncertain
THE ZAGWE PERIOD(1150-1270)
The Agew people had been influenced by the Axumite tradition and had even adopted Christianity. The Zagwe kings were Christians who used Geez in the churches .
The reign of Lalibela (1181-1221) marked the zenith of the Zagwe dynasty .
