Cambridge University Professor David W Phillipson yesterday delivered a lecture at the British Academy which challenged historical assumptions about Ethiopia’s rock-cut churches at Lalibela. The speech was delivered at a joint meeting of the British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA) and the Anglo-Ethiopian Society, and was chaired by former British Ambassador to Ethiopia, Myles Wickstead, with guest speakers Ethiopian Vice-Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, H.E. Mahmouda Ahmed Gaas, and H.E. Fisseha Adugna, Ethiopian Ambassador to the UK

Professor Phillipson’s speech challenged previously held assumptions about the age and origins of the Lalibela churches and disputed suggestions that they were the work of foreign influences, such as the Egyptians. His speech also touched on the notion that sadly, the churches – which he chose to label hypogea (or underground places) as they were carved and not built - would not last forever, as James Bruce, the Scottish traveller of the late eighteenth century claimed.

“Ethiopia has a unique past, important not only for the country’s own citizens but for all people’s understanding of their place in the world,” he began.

“Yet Ethiopia and its past are often misunderstood.”

He questioned the notion accepted by many historians that the churches could be attributed to the reign of King Lalibela around AD 1200, using recent research which places the decline of the Aksumite civilisation around the early century, as opposed to the previously accepted tenth century, and to other ancient features at Lalibela other than the churches.

Professor Phillipson proposed the interpretation of Lalibela as an evolving entity, identifying three principle phases “through which progression could tentatively be recognised.”

“In phase A, Lalibela could be at least as old as the seventh and eighth centuries, perhaps belonging to a period of political disruption and fragmentation initiated by the decline of Aksum. Hypogea attributed to this phase do not seem originally to have been churches, and Aksumite-style features are rare, if present at all.”

“Lalibela phase B, by contrast, is firmly Christian and its largely basilican architecture owes much to Aksumite inspiration with clear indications of a desire to emphasise Lalibela’s status as a successor to Aksum. A date in the tenth or eleventh century would fit this scenario.”

“Lalibela phase C saw the production of those hypogea which are specifically linked by tradition to King Lalibela himself, either by attribution or by virtue of his burial there. It also takes in locations which are central to the view of Lalibela replicating the topography of the Holy Land. Only phase C should be attributed to the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries, when King Lalibela reigned at or close to the place which subsequently bore his name.”

He claimed that suggestions of the role of foreigners in cutting the Lalibela churches seem to have been greatly exaggerated. He acknowledged the possibility of the presence of foreigners, but suggested that the architectural features represented in the Lalibela churches of phases B and C were of essentially Aksumite derivation and had thus reached Lalibela within an established local tradition, just as many aspects of the manuscript tradition, including book-binding techniques and use of Eusebian canon tables had done.

Drawing his lecture to a close, he remarked that “Lalibela has long been recognised as a superb manifestation of Ethiopian civilisation, as its inclusion on the World Heritage list underlines” before warning of the possible threat of over-exploitation through tourism without proper measures to ensure its safety.

Following Professor Phillipson’s lecture, Ethiopian Vice-Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, H.E. Mahmouda Ahmed Gaas, added that his country was “rich in cultural heritage which some have already termed as ‘heritage of mankind’”, before reaffirming the Ethiopian Government’s commitment to creating “a conducive atmosphere for researchers to continue their duties, so that our history will be fully known.”

“At the same time, priority has been given to maintaining and developing our historical heritage sites so that tourists can visit them easily. All historical treasures should be kept safe and maintained. Ethiopia is not only sharing the information of paleo-anthropological findings with the rest of the world, but currently is engaged in the construction of conservation laboratories to facilitate and create an atmosphere conducive for world scholars and researchers in the field of paleo-anthropology and archaeology”

Vice-Minister Mahmouda also announced that a feasibility study into the building of a Museum of Human Origins which will house all the discoveries that have been made, was underway, and talked of plans to an Archaeological Field School at Hadar where Lucy - the world famous 3.2 million years old Dinqinhesh skeleton - was found.

Also speaking at the event, H.E. Ambassador Fisseha Adugna said that he believed the coming Ethiopian Millennium would “afford this generation a unique opportunity to look back on one thousand years of its history, and to look forward to its destiny to be fulfilled in the coming one thousand years.”

He called on those in attendance at the meeting to help Ethiopia to promote investment, tourism and trade by sharing their stories and experiences of Lalibela to demonstrate that the country is “much more than the image the media in this great country would have you believe.”

Richard Snailham and Gerald Gotzen of the Anglo-Ethiopian Society also spoke at the meeting, discussing the topics of Lalibela’s importance to the Ethiopian Orthodox church and to tourism respectively.

ENDS