Resurecting the falen giants of Axumia
By A. W. Shumay
Nov. 08 2010
The Axum obelisks bear witness to a great civilization that flourished two thousand years ago in modern day northern Ethiopia with Axum as its centre. During the first millennium BC and for another millennium thereafter Axum’s fame, power and influence reverberated as far away as Jerusalem, Greece, Rome, Persia and India.
The Axumian** Empire was a contemporary of the Greco-Roman and Perisian Empires. It was during this epoch period in its history that the Axumian masons had perfected the art of cutting, transporting, curving and erecting massive granite obelisks successfully, in what is today Axum‘s Stele Park. Nature, either by mere coincidence or by its prudent planning, had played a major role by providing the Axumian masons with quality rock within the vicinity of Axum city so that the Axumian mason could produce these wonderful world heritage obelisks for mankind successfully.
After cutting and transporting the massive granite blocks to Axum city the massive granite blocks were subjected to further chiselling treatments in order to dress them up with Axum’s architectural design features. All their visible sides were engraved with images of Axumian multi-storey buildings completed with all the details of the exterior features of the ordinary Axumian homes. They incorporated in them false doors, false windows and false protruding wooden beams drawn to a perfect scale and proportion.
Their apexes were crowned with the emblem of their kings, and with the sign and symbol of their gods that they worshipped. They were then erected vertically over the top of the graves of their Kings and Queens using human labour and animal power. Eventually, all the obelisks were meticulously erected on their individual spots and diligently offered to their Kings and Queens as eternal gifts.
The Axumians were not only obelisk master builders but also skilful builders of multi-storey palaces and stately homes for their Kings and Queens.
Some Axumian experts believe that they may have had used elephants to transport the unfinished obelisks to Axum town. Some sceptic Axumian experts however, find it difficult to grasp the scale and magnitude of the organisational logistics involved in erecting those giant obelisk in place. They argue by saying that, even if they have had the chance to employ the modern technological facilities available to us today, it would still be a difficult and hazardous task to accomplish.
Likewise, some conservative historians prefer to associate the age of the obelisks with that of the reign of King Ezana the fourth century Christian ruler of Axumia. The well informed historians, on the other hand, certify that the actual age of the obelisks is a lot more older than what the conservative historians would like us to believe.
With the decline of the Axumian Kingdom at the close of the first millennium AD it was replaced by an inward looking Kingdom of the Zaguwes with Lalibella, [Laliye-balla, Ilil-balla]****, as its capital south of Axum City. The new Kings of the Zaguwean dynasty readily adopted Axum’s building methodology and took it to its highest level. The inspired Zaguwe Kings quickly instructed their masons to curve out rock hewn churches out of solid mountain sides by incorporating Axum’s architectural features and styles with hallowed insides to serve as the Holy of Holies for their new Deities. The Lalibella masons under the spiritual guidance of their visionary King, King Lalibella managed to curve out most perfect and the jewel of all the churches of Christendom to Christ the King of Axumia. This way Holy King Lalibella together with his army of Holy Artisan Disciples managed to create the most beautiful World Heritage Shrines for mankind.
MY PLEA TO ALL MEN AND WOMEN OF GOODWILL.
By dedicating this little epic epithet to the giant obelisk builders of ancient Axumia and to the builders of the Holy Churches of Lalibella. I beg to call to all the peoples of Agaazia*** to join forces in the noble task of resurrecting the sleeping giants of Axumia back to Life. Yes! It can be done! United we can move Mountains.
*Axumia > own etymology > area or domain administered by ancient Axum.
**Axumian > adj. Something or someone of Axumia origin.
***Agaazia > own etymology >area or domain populated by ancient Agaazians and their off-springs.
Lali-balla > **** [Laliye-balla, Ilil-balla] > own etymological development.