Twin-City herald. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1927-1940, 1935-10-26
Ethiopian Holy City
Final Resting lace0f
Ark OfThe Covenant
ORIGINAL ARK OF
COVENANT IN AKSUM,
THE HOLY CITY

ashington-Aksum, which fig
ures in dispatches concerning the
war in Ethiopia, has been holy city
of that country for many years, and
is one of the oldest communities in
the empire of Halle Selassie, the
National Geographic Society relates.
"Perched high in the mountains,
about 1000 feet above the sea, and
only II miles almost due west of
Aduwa, Aksum today is small
town of only about 5000 inhab-
itants, but clings to huge stone mon
uments that stand there" says a bull
letin from the society.
"Aksum once was the capital of
Ethiopia, according to ancient re-
ports, and since time immemorial
has been regarded as sacred by the
people. It's sacred character has
made the city immune to attack or
plundering by brigands or the armies
VI IiFol IGlllOp-etIl IIcaIllo
for the surrounding country.
"This is not the first time that
Italian armies have held Aksum.
The Italians conquered the city and
nearby territory in the war which
was ended by their disastrous defeat
at Aduwa in 1896.
Legend Reports Ark of Covenant
'sIn Aksum is church which, &C
cording to legend, contains the orr
ginal Ark of the Covenant of the
Hebrews. The church has been so
closely guarded by the clergy, how
ever, that no scholars from the west
ern world have been able to confirm
or deny the legend.
Tradition says that the Ark was
brought to Ethiopia by Menelik 1,
son Of King Solomon and the Queen
of Sheba. Menc]:h according to the
story, was educated at Jerusalem by
Solomon until he reached the age of
10; he then went to Ethiopia with
the Ak and large delegation of
Hebrews.
"The original church in which the
Ark of the Covenant was supposed
to have been lodged was burned when
the city was sacked by Moslem in
vader, Mohammed Gran, about 1895
but new one was erected soon af.
ter by the Portuguese, who had Wis
tied Ethiopia earlier and had estab.
Eshed friendly relations there. There
is no record of whether the Ark was
destroyed in this fire or carried to
some safe place before the invasion
and later restored to the new church.
Mentioned in Early Manuscript
Natives tradition says that Aksum
dates back many thousands of years
and the earliest authoritative men.
ton of it is in manuscript writer
in CT A. D., in which it is described
as the capital of the Aksumite king.
dom, which was the successor of the
ancient land of Punt and the fore.
runner of Ethiopia. Punt is men.
toned in Egyptian records as a place
with which the Egyptians traded fol
gold, ivory, ostrich feathers and
other valuable merchandise.
AN inscription in Greek on a
column at Aksum is evidence that
what is now Ethiopia had contacts
with the ancient Grecian world. Ak.
sum is well known for its huge stone
obelisks, some of which are till stand.
ing, while others have fallen anG
have been broken. They form a con.
secutive series from rough unhewec
stones to highly finished obleisks OF
which the tallet standing, at least un
til recently, was go feet in height
and 8 feet z inches in width. The,
are believed to have been connected
with some form of ancient Semitic
sun worship.
"Aksum is thought to have beer
much larger in ancient times thar
now, for there are traces of stone
foundations of large buildings ovel
a wide area near the present town
some of them probably temples anc
palaces"