Chapter one

Sunday, June 4, 2023 11:03 PM

 History derived from the Greek

word Istoria, meaning Inquiry or
facts of history.
 The first to use the term was
Herodotus("the father of history").
 History is the study of human
society and its interaction with the
natural environment in the past.
 To organize the longevity of human
history. Historians divide the
human past into discrete periods.
 History is divided into
ancient
medieval

modern
 The concern of historical studies are
the issues of continuity and change.
 Sources can be either primary and
secondary.
 Primary sources are surviving
traces of the past available to us in
the present.
 While secondary sources are
interpretation of primary ones.
 Oral sources
 Herodotus and Thucydides
introduces the organized study an
narration of the past while history
emerged as an academic in the 19th
century. Ranke is praised as the
father of moder historiography,
because he found history as an
independent discipline in Berlin
 The Periplus of the Erythrean sea:
 Christian Topography: composed
by Cosmas Indicopleustes in 6th

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 Christian Topography: composed
by Cosmas Indicopleustes in 6th
A.D and it was both secular and
spiritual. A copy of adulis
inscription(Greek script about
unkonwn Aksumite King.)

 Manuscripts
 Hagiographies: ex:
St.Teklehamnaot, shewa and
Shaykh Ja'far Bukko of
Gattira,Wollo
 Chronicles: are historical accounts
that record events in chronological
order. They are factual not
analytical detail.in ethiopia they
explain in religious terms.
Ex:Glorious victories of Made-
Tsion and Chronicle of Abeto
Iyasu and Empress Zewditu
 Accounts of Arabic-speaking
Visitors: al-masudi,Ibn
Battuta,Shihab al-din(Futuh al
Habesha),Al-Haymi(yemeni
delegation to Gonder)
 Accounts of European travelers and
missionaries: The prester jonhn of
the indies,Francisco Alvarez and
Travels to discover the source of the
Nile,J.Bruce.
 Hiob Ludolf found Ethiopian
studies in Europ(Germany).
 Abba Bahrey's Geez script on the
Oromo.
 Blatten Geta Hiruy Welde-
selassie(the most prolific writer in
20th century).
 In the 1960:
.Department of history in HSIU
.IES was founded
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 .IES was founded
.AAU launched MSC and PHD
programs
 The history of Ethiopia and the
Horn is shaped by:

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 Chapter Two
Monday, June 5, 2023 10:37 AM

 Biological Evolution is the process and Gradual change in species

over time which is passed through Genes. Note: Human evolution divides into cultural and biological evolution.
 Mammal primates developed into Pongdie(Gorilla,chimps)
Hominidae(Human Note
 East Africa is considered as ancestors)
the cradle of humanity because
of the following archeological
fossil discoveries:

 Genus home was the result of

developed brain and starts
emerging from 2-2.5 mill
years B.P. this genus has Definition B.P:
three main species which are

i. Homo Habilis:
Homo=Human and Habilis=Hand User
1.9mill years B.P
Found in Lower Omo Valley
ii.Homo erectus:
1.6 mill
Invented fire and Burial
Melka Kunture,Konso,Gardula and Gadeb.
ii.Homo sapiens: Knowledgeable Human
being.(400,000 years B.P)
idaltu:160,000 years B.P
Sapiens:100,000 years B.P

 Cultural evolution: is related to technological

transformation on human life. Grouped into
 Stone Age
 Bronze Age and Iron Age
 Stone tools:
 Mode I(Olduwan) - crude and mono facial
- Used by homo habilis
- Produced by the direct
percussion("refers to a
method of stone tool
production in which a hard
hammer or hammerstone is
used to strike flakes off a
core or parent rock. This
technique involves striking
the core with the
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 the core with the
hammerstone at a specific
angle and force to detach a
flake of stone, which can
then be further shaped and
refined into a tool.")
 Mode II(Acheulean) -bifacial and
produced by hammering(indirect
percussion),and also used by Homo erectus.
 Mode III(Sangoon) - flexible and finest
- sangoon = named after
Sango Bay in Uganda
- Homo sapiens tool

 Stone tool usage periods:

□ Paleolitic: - 3.4-11,000 B.P
- language acquired
- caves as shelters
- usage of stone,bonemwood,furs and skins and sex-age labor divisions
□ Mesolthic : - 11,000-10,000 B.P Note: The oldest evidence of stone tool in the world) was
- Acts as transition between Paleolithic and Neolithic. found at Dikika in 2010.
□ Neolithic:
- Known as New Stone Age
- 10,000-6,000 B.P
- Domestication of plants and animals: due to scarcity and awareness of growing cycle of most of grass
types.
- People of ethiopia domesticated Teff,dagussa,nug and enset
- Sites of domestication:

- Agricultural revolution results formation of state, cities, towns and complex society as well as sedentary
life and division of labor
 Linguistics divide languages in Ethiopia and the horn into Afro-asiatic and Nilo-Saharan language super families.
 Afro-Asiatic: Cushitic, semitic and Omotic.
 Nilo-Saharan: Chari-Nile and Koman

 Waqa's power is manifested through the Spirits called Ayyana.

 Abdar/Dache(soil fertility spirit),Atete(fertility spirit),Balas(victory Spirit) and Chato/Dora(Wild animals Defender)
 Ekera(Ghost)
 Qallu ritual house is called Galma
 Abba Muda wears a truban with tri-colors.
 Among Hadiya- the supreme being is Waa(its eyes are Elincho(sun) and agana(Moon)), jara and Idota (male and female
protectors).sacrification happens in Shonkolla and Kallalmo Mountains.Itto and Albaja are spiritual leaders.
 Kambata have negita/aricho magano whose religious officials known as Magnancho.
 Gedeo's thanks giving ceremony called Deraro for Mageno

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 Gedeo's thanks giving ceremony called Deraro for Mageno
 Konso worship Waaq/Wakh
 Gojjam Agew's Diban(sky God)
 Gurage waq/Goita
 Yem worshipped Ha'o
 Konta's Docho
 Wolayta Tosa and spirits(Ayyana,Sawuna(justice),Wombo(Rain),micho(goat),Kuchuruwa(emergency)).
 Keficho's has yero and thespirit Eqo.
 Boro-shinasha people believe in Iqa.
 Nuer believe in Kuoth Nhial.
 Syncretism is a phenomena of mixing religions.

Judaism
 Bete-Israel practiced a religion that differs from Rabbinic Juaism.
 They migrated to Ethiopia at the time of Exodus(400-1200 B.C).
 Jewish immigrants intermarried with the Agaws and are today known as Bete-Israel

Christianity
 Peoples in northern Ethiopia were Polytheists. Believed in Ares(war god),Arwe(sepent god),Bahir,Midir
 Aedesius and frementius converted King Ezana
 It became state religion in 334 A.D.
 Frumentius was the first Bishop of Ethiopian Orthodox.
 The first patriarch was Abune Baslios.
 The Nine Saints expanded Christianity to the interior state

Islam
 Prophet Mohammed(pbuh) preached Islam since 610 A.D.
 Armah Ella Saham(Ashama b, Abjar) or Ahmed al-Nejash gave asylum to the refugees from 615-628 A.D
 Most Muslims Settled on the Red Sea Coasts.
 The Dahlak route played a minor role while the port of Zeila served as important Gateway for introduction of Islam into the
Interior.
 Sheikh Hussein of bale spread Islam to Bale, Arsi to southeastern and eastern parts of Ethiopia.


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