A Review of Megalithic Stele Traditions in the Horn of Africa

This article reviews the history and distribution of megalithic stele monuments in the Horn of Africa. Since megalithic stele monuments have a higher density and wider geographic distribution in Ethiopia compared to other Horn of African countries, larger coverage is given to the Ethiopian sites. Hundreds of megalithic stele sites have been reported from the north, central and southern parts of Ethiopia. Despite this, limited scientific research has been conducted at stele sites in Ethiopia, specifically in the southern part of the country. The paper has two objectives. The first section summarizes the existing literature on the major megalithic stele monument sites in four geographic regions of Ethiopia— north, east, central, and south, and the other countries of the Horn of Africa. The second part provides new data on the history, typology, and chronology of stele monuments in south Ethiopia. Emphasis is given to the megalithic stelae of south Ethiopia, especially the Gedeo zone, for the region contains the largest number and highest concentration of megalithic carved stele known in all Africa. Southern Ethiopia is also one of the few places in the world where people still practice stelae construction or actively engage with the constructed stele landscape.