ARCHAEOLOGY OF ERITREA: Recent Advances

The Archaeology of Ancient Eritrea unlocks the ancient mysteries of the northern Horn long obscured by a dominant focus on other regions and a long liberation struggle that prevented archaeological inquiry for nearly four decades. This volume examines for the first time the early history of Eritrea from approximately 100,000 years ago up to 400 years before colonialism. A sweeping treatment of some of the most important archaeological remains in the ancient African world, this volume draws on groundbreaking research by young Eritrean scholars as well as American, British, and German investigators. Starting in 1996 with the development of archaeological training in Eritrea and the first archaeological surveys around Asmara, Qohaito, and the Red Sea zone, these post-liberation investigations have led to major, significant discoveries. The studies encompass diverse topics ranging from early humans along the Red Sea to the development of an endogenous civilization around Asmara that marks