Geomorphology of the Archaeological Area of Aksum

Abstract

Aksum is one of the most important archaeological and historical towns in Ethiopia. The archaeological area stretches on a plateau ranging from 2,250 to 2,460 m, and the general landscape consists of a few dome-shaped hills standing on a plateau crossed by small ephemeral streams. The main geomorphic features are the result of the emplacement of basalt flows; the intrusion of syenite sub-volcanic plugs; and domes, tectonics, weathering and its interaction with various surface erosion processes. In such a context, between 700 BC and 800 AD, the rise and the decay of the Aksumite Kingdom, one of the most known civilisations of East Africa, took place. The core of the archaeological area of Aksum, with tall carved obelisks, is a UNESCO World Heritage listed property. The integration of archaeological data with the analysis of soil conservation measures and agricultural practices, adopted till present, allowed to develop a plough marks-based methodology to assess the historical soil erosion rate and, hence, to understand historical landscape evolution within a man-controlled environment. The occurrence of archaeological evidence in such a characteristic geomorphological context provides an excellent opportunity to study and understand interaction between geomorphic and anthropic processes.

Palaeoenvironmental research at Hawelti–Melazo (Tigray, northern Ethiopia) – insights from sedimentological and geomorphological analyses

“…The most typical present-day soils of the region are Vertisols and (vertic) Cambisols, which develop predominantly on the basalt surfaces and in the alluvial plains (Ferrari et al, 2015). These soils are characterized by a high content of swelling clays (montmorillonite) (Frankl et al, 2012), black colour, and relatively high fertility (Nyssen et al, 2008).…”

Granite Landscapes, Geodiversity and Geoheritage—Global Context

“…The remaining cultural properties seem not to contain geoheritage of international significance, although the enhancing role of natural scenery for localities such as Saint Catherine Area, Mont Saint-Michel, Group of Monuments at Hampi, Chongoni Rock-Art Area or Cultural Landscape of Sintra cannot be neglected. Overviews of granite geomorphology at selected localities can be found in [95][96][97][98].…”