Tomb in Ethiopia from 2,000 years ago associated with Rome

In 2015, an extraordinary discovery was made in the ancient city of Aksum in northern Ethiopia. In tombs dated to the 1st-2nd century CE. Amazing jewellery from the Roman Empire was found, which proves that the Romans established trade contacts with the state of Aksum hundreds of years earlier than previously thought.

Among the finds are: a necklace made of thousands of tiny coloured glass beads, a belt made of beads, Roman glass vessels, a clay jug, iron bracelets, a glass perfume flask and a Roman mirror made of bronze.

The kingdom of Aksum was a trading country that flourished in the years CE 100-940. At the height of its reign, the Empire encompassed the territories of what is now Eritrea, northern Ethiopia, western Yemen, southern Saudi Arabia and Sudan. The capital of the Empire, Aksum was located in the northern part of Ethiopia and was an important and rich centre of the Kingdom’s life. Aksum was also an important player in the trade, especially as the main trade route connecting Rome with India ran through its lands. Ivory, turtle shells, gold, emeralds were exported to Rome, and silk, spices and other goods were imported.