Axumite

Architecture

Prepared by Ephrem N.

Influences in architecture

• Historical background

• Geographical

• Geological

• Religion

• Trade

Historical background

• The powerful kingdom of Axum rise Approximately 100 -

1000 AD

• It was the Axumites who detailed the first civilization of

historic Ethiopia.

• Over time Axum became not only wealthy trading

kingdom, but also strong military power specially during

the time of king Ezana around 350 AD.

Geographical Influence

• Geographical location provided advantages: well suited

for agriculture; red sea proximity ideal for trade, access

to Indian ocean

• Axum was a great commercial civilization with Egypt,

Persia, Arabia, Romans Byzantines, Ceylon and India

• Axum was protected by the mountains of north Tigray.

Geological influence • Axum was protected by the mountains of north Tigray. • The land of Axum was rich in fertile land for agriculture

as well as stone for construction of buildings and

monuments

• Location of their churches at high places

Trade • The Axumites export Gold, Ivory, Rhinoceros-horn,

hippopotamus hide and slaves, and they imported all

kinds of textiles, knives, swords, luxury goods, cotton

and silk

• This trade connections gave Axum diverse cultures

• Merchants who came to Axum brought new ideas as well

as goods

Religion

• King Ezana converted to Christianity and his court

followed in early 4th century

AXUM’S

ACHIEVEMENTS Control over

NE African

Trade

Written

Language

Spread

Christianity

in N. & E.

Africa

Terrace

Farming

Built

Stelae

Axumite Architecture

• Decorations of the

largest stele at Axum

symbolize building

structures.

• The door and the first

row of small square

windows can be read

together as the ground

floor.

• Monumental Architecture (a high level of artistic ability,

advanced engineering and mathematical skills)

• Expression of the desire to build a multistory building

• Their ambition to build a high rise building is clearly stated

in the stele . 8 - 10 stories

Axumite Architecture

Construction technique: The ‘Monkey-head’

• Typical structural method of the Axumite period and in the later Tigray vernacular architecture

• The walls are made of small stone –and-clay masonry

• The walls had to be strengthened at narrow intervals with long squared timbers.

• These were then held by short round cross-pieces the ends of which became visible as rows of protruding and smoothly rounded “Monkey heads”.

• Axumite window and door frames were made of timbers cut into each other, with no nails but with shallow recesses and projections.

Construction technique: The ‘Monkey-head’

Construction technique: The ‘Monkey-head’

Design principle: The „equal-equal‟

• Principle of „equal-equal‟ generates the square, the cube and the 450 angle and the octagonal shape.

• „Equi-dimensional‟ of the Axumite principle is different from the „Central symmetrical‟ of the European/ Byzantine tradition

Proportion

• Proportion in axumite architecture was not by “the

golden section” or any similar complicated geometrical

procedure but by straight forward arithmetical counting

of numbers and units.

• Like 2:3 or 3:4

• All four parts of equal

length.

• Similar to the „Greek

cross‟ rather than the „latin

cross‟.

• These crosses were used

on Axumite Coins

• They are also depicted in

drawings/paintings,

artifacts or as architectural

motifs in windows and

reliefs.

Early types of Ethiopian Crosses

Axumite dry stone masonry

construction • Large and squarely dressed stones at the corners

• Small broken stones for the main bulk of walls

• Slabs of slates or similar flat stones to cover the many

narrow “shelves” which are formed because the walls

are stepped inwards at regular intervals

• The walls are much wider at the bottom higher up

Basic architectural characteristic

feature in axumite palaces • Grand entrance stairs

• Courtyards

• Strong and well dressed corner walls

• Strong stone buttresses

• Multi storey

Legacies' of Axumite civilization

• Monolithic steles

• Mausoleums

• Palaces

• Monkey head construction

technique

• Equal - equal proportioning

technique

• Multi - story building techniques

Examples Palace at Dugur

Takha Mariam Palace

•Covers an area of 85*120m

•The palace is surrounded by a court

•From the court the palace is Accessed by

a grand stair

•Multi story

Takha Mariam Palace

The Tomb of Kaleb

and Gebremaskel

Mausoleums

Tomb of the false door

No mortar between

joints.

Steles

Measurement units carved

on stone

Exercise

Details of Axumite architecture features

• Construction detailing

• Decoration and pattern detailing

• Etc…

– Use one A-3 paper size as medium of presentation

– The presentation technique could be free hand

drawing or digital drawings. However it should be

strictly architectural having plans, sections, elevation,

and axonometric drawings.