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MataraSouth of Senafe on Asmara-Addis Abeba RoadLocation, Maps and PlansUpper left : small-scale view of detail of political map of Eritrea, prepared by U.S. C.I.A., now in the public domain, and obtained from Eritrea Page of the African Studies Center website of the University of Pennsylvania; click to view a larger-scale version of this clip. Center left: section of aeronautical chart, showing central Eritrea and northern Tigray; click to viewlarger-scale version. Lower far left: road map of "triangle route" of historic sites in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia (thanks to Mike Metras for this map). Click for a larger-scale view. Lower near left: older, more detailed Italian map of the same area, also thanks to Mike Metras. Upper right: detail view of an archaeological site plan of Matara, showing locations of excavated ruins; click to view larger-scale version. Center right: archaeological site plan of Matara, providing overview of site and surrounding plain; click to view larger-scale version. Lower right: sketch map borrowed from articles I wrote about Eritrean & Ethiopian archaeology from 1970-72. Click for a larger-scale view. Compare these maps and plans with a collection of aerial photos and panoramic views of Matara photographed between 1969 and 1971. |
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Note: at the request of the Cartography Section of the U.N., I removed the U.N. map which was displayed with their permission when I first established this website. I plan to display the new version as soon as it becomes available, hopefully soon now that the border settlement has been announced. The text of the announcement, including maps, are available at the Arbitration Commission website. Further information about U.N. maps, as well as current news about the UN Mission in the Temporary Security Zone between Eritrea and Ethiopia, can be obtained by visiting the UNMEE website. A fine political map of Eritrea showing the demarcation of Akkele Guzai and the other provinces is the CIA map of Eritrea, which is posted on the University of Pennsylvania's superb African Studies web site's Eritrea Page, and now on this page, along with a fine old road map of the area graciously provided by Mike Metras, a detail of an aeronautical chart of the region, two site plans of the Matara excavations, and a sketch map taken from a series of articles I wrote in 1970-72 about the archaeology of Eritrea and Ethiopia. Other maps and plans will be added later. |
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Matara is situated between Senafe and Zala Ambesa on the highway between Asmara and Addis Abeba. After the Ethiopian troops captured Zala Ambesa, they advanced on the plain through Senafe and to Adi Keyih. Repeated pitched battles were fought across the plains around Senafe, evidently subjecting the Matara ruins to severe damage.
Senafe lies near the northern border of the Temporary Security Zone, a 25 kilometer wide boundary zone established by treaty and patrolled by forces of the United Nations, while Matara is deep within the Security Zone. The decision of the Arbitration Commission defining the permanent border between Eritrea and Ethiopia was announced on 13 April 2002. Clearing land mines and unexploded ordinance to make the land safe for reoccupation is underway. The physical boundary will be marked on the ground as the final process of ending hostilities between the two neighboring states. In the meantime, be aware that the boundaries on all of the maps on this site are now outdated.
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| Left: detail of political map of Eritrea, prepared by the U.S. C.I.A., which now is in the public domain, and was obtained from the Eritrea Page of the African Studies Center website of the University of Pennsylvania. This view shows Akkele Guzai and other provinces of Eritrea, as well as the location of Aksum in the north Ethiopian province of Tigray. Click to view the entire large-scale C.I.A. map of Eritrea. Compare with the aeronautical chart for topographical details, and the road map for a clearer view of the relationship between the site locations and the terrain. Note that the boundary in this map is no longer accurate in all areas. |
All photos, graphics and text copyright © 1969-2005, Skip Dahlgren, unless otherwise credited.
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Left: This is a sketch map, drawn by Editor Joe diVeglia, which I have borrowed from articles I wrote for the Kagnew Gazelle between 1970-72 about the emerging archaeological history of Eritrea and Ethiopia, The map and its insert show the location not only of Matara but the other important archaeological sites which show the trade route which ran from Aksum (sometimes transliterated as Axum) to the Red Sea port of Adulis (near present-day Zula). While not up to the best cartographic standards, this map is very useful for illustrating the relationship and distance between these ancient cities. The complete C.I.A. map covers most of the area seen on this sketch map, while the road map and the aeronautical chart both show the area in the detailed insert. |
All photos, graphics and text copyright © 1969-2005, Skip Dahlgren, unless otherwise credited.
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Left: section of an aeronautical chart (ONC K-5 Edition 2, 1967, published by Aeronautical Chart and Information Center, United States Air Force) which shows central Eritrea and northern Tigray, and the location of several cities, including Adi Qeyih, Senafe, and Aksum. Senafe is located 135 km south of Asmara on the highway that runs south-southeast from Asmara, and Matara (not indicated on the map) is 1 km further south. Quhaito lies to the east of Adi Qeyih along the edge of the escarpment; the valley to its east leads to the ancient port of Adulis (present-day Zula) on the coast. Aksum is at the bottom of the map, west of Adwa. Note: the spelling convention for names on this map is different from that I have used; this is a common problem when dealing with names native to languages other than English, especially when the languages use non-Latin based alphabets. Click to view large-scale aeronautical chart. Compare with the C.I.A. map for political boundaries, and with the road map for a clear comparison of the site locations with the terrain. (these two maps cover almost precisely the same area). |
All photos, graphics and text copyright © 1969-2005, Skip Dahlgren, unless otherwise credited.
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Left: archaeological site plan of Matara, providing overview of site and surrounding plain. This plan, with French legends, was published by Francis Anfray and the Ethiopian Institute of Archaeology. The individual excavation sites are laid out schematically on this plan. More accurate details of the individual parts of the site can be seen in the detailed archaeological plan. Click to view large-scale archaeological schematic plan. Compare with a collection of aerial photos and panoramic views of Matara photographed between 1969 and 1971. QuickTime video clips showing the same panoramic view of the site are found in the Archaeological Evidence section. |
All photos, graphics and text copyright © 1969-2005, Skip Dahlgren, unless otherwise credited.
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Left: detail of an archaeological site plan of Matara, published in one of the many reports on the excavation of Matara by Francis Anfray and the Ethiopian Institute of Archaeology. This plan shows the locations of excavated ruins at Matara, and records precise details of the shape and extent of the buildings. The hawulti (stele) can be seen along the track to the right of Gwal Saim toward the bottom of the plan. A schematic layout of the site can be seen in the archaeological site plan. Compare with a collection of aerial photos and panoramic views of Matara photographed between 1969 and 1971. QuickTime video clips showing the same panoramic view of the site are found in the Archaeological Evidence section. |
All photos, graphics and text copyright © 1969-2005, Skip Dahlgren, unless otherwise credited.
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Left: road map of central Eritrea and northern Ethiopia, showing in blue lettering the locations of several major Aksumite and pre-Aksumite sites in the region. Below: thumbnail of an older, more historic and more detailed Italian map of the same area from Asmara to the Ethiopian frontier. Thanks to Mike Metras for allowing me to use both of these maps, which are empoyed so effectively as the cornerstones of the historical section of his CD-ROM publication, Ethiopia: Travels of a Youth. (For more information, please go to Revisiting Eritrea). Compare this map with the aeronautical chart and the C.I.A. map detail for a clearer picture of the location of these sites and the nature of the landscape. The aeronautical map covers almost exactly the same area as this road map; the C.I.A. map shows a somewhat wider view of Eritrea and Tigray, as well as provincial borders within Eritrea. Note that the international boundary in the C.I.A. map is no longer valid in all areas. |
All photos, graphics and text copyright © 1969-2005, Skip Dahlgren, unless otherwise credited.