Gabaza, Adulis, Koloe

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  • SHITOMI Yuzo
    Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, University of Tokyo

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Other Title
  • ガバザ, アドゥーリス, コロエー
  • ガバザ アドゥーリス コロエー アクスム エノ ミチ ケンショウ ノ ココロミ
  • An Attempt to Locate the Route to Aksum
  • 「アクスムヘの道」検証の試み

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The route from Adulis to Aksum must have been the most important in East Africa in ancient times. Adulis was the most important town on the coast and Aksum was the center of a rather important empire, starting about the time of Christ and lasting until the eighth or ninth century.<br>What was the course of the route from Adulis up into the mountaneous country of what is now Ethiopia and Eritrea? The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea refers to a location named Koloe, a city ‘that is the first trading post for ivory’ and says ‘from Adulis it is a journey of three days to Koloe.’ This article seeks to identify the location of Adulis and its harbor Gabaza, and to locate the route from Adulis to Koloe. The author analyzes historical sources and archaeological data. The information obtained from his field survey is also used to explain some topographic problems.<br>The conclusions of this paper are as follows:<br>1. The equation of Adulis of the Periplus with a site situated some 1km to the northnorthwest of the modern village of Zula is acceptable.<br>2. Didoros Island of the Periplus of the first century was situated on the same spot as Gabaza mentioned in the 6th century sources.<br>3. Some 5km to the southeast of Adulis site are some hills named Gamez 100 years ago, but now known as Gala/Galata. Didoros Island is identified with one of these hills and Gabaza harbor must have been situated at the foot of it.<br>4. There has been major coastal change in the area. For this reason the island of Didoros approached by a causeway in the first century was situated on the shore in the sixth century and it lies now as a hill some 1km away from the shore.<br>5. The course of the route from Adulis to Koloe identified with modern Qohaito must has been through the Wadi Komaile rather than the Wadi Haddas.

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