Abyssinia

Kingdom of Abyssinia

አቢሲኒያ ሐበሻ (Amharic)

Mängəstä Häbäša

Flag of Abyssinia

19.6% Tigrinya

4.3% Sidamo

3.4% Tigre

2.5% Gurage

2.4% Welayta

2% Afar

1.9% Hadiya

1.4% Harari

6.6% Other

11.5% Sunni Islam

3.4% Atheism

2.6% Judaism

5% Other

**Abyssinia** (Amharic: አቢሲኒያ *Ābīsīnīya*), officially the **Kingdom of Abyssinia** (Amharic: አቢሲኒያ ሐበሻ *Mängəstä Häbäšä*) is an East African country located in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Sudan, South Sudan, the East African Federation & Somalia. It's capital is located in Addis Ababa, with Gondar as it's ceremonial capital, and it has a population of 106.7 million. It is East Africa's largest economy, and is one of the planet's fastest-developing nations.

## History

Around 200,000 years ago, the first modern humans emerged in Abyssinia, the Homo sapiens. The oldest skeletal remains of Homo sapiens, named Dinkinesh were found in the Danakil Depression, dating back to 3.2 million years ago. According to linguists, the first Afroasiatic-speaking populations settled in the Horn region during the ensuing Neolithic era. However, newer evidence suggests humans first emerged in the Arsi, Shewa & Selassie regions.

Damot (Ge’ez: ዳዓማት *Da’amat*) was an Iron-Age kingdom located in the present-day Tigray region. It’s capital is unknown, thought it is assumed to be Yeha. The people of the kingdom were a mix of indigenous people, mostly Cushitic & Afroasiatic peoples, that were influenced by the Sabean civilization across the Red Sea. After the fall of Damot in the 5th century BC, the plateau came to be dominated by smaller unknown successor kingdoms.

In the first century AD, the Kingdom of Aksum emerged in present-day Tigray & Bahrmedri. This kingdom was based in the city of Aksum, in which many monumental columns known as stelae were raised. This region, though polytheistic at first, adopted Judaism & Christianity by 330. This made Abyssinia the second country to adopt Christianity, just after Armenia in 301. Before it’s collapse, it managed to spread Christianity to much of northern Abyssinia, and even southern Yemen. It’s last *negus* (Ge’ez: ንጉሥ *nəgus*) was Dil Na’od, who was defeated by Queen Gudit of the Semien Kingdom.

Gudit did not approve of the general religion of the populace, and thus began a campaign to convert them back to polytheism or Judaism, or they would face death. This also led to her destroying much of the city of Aksum, which only stopped when she was overthrown by the Zagwe Dynasty (Ge’ez: ዛጔ ሥርወ መንግሥት). The Zagwe Dynasty rehabilitated Orthodoxy in the region, constructing a new capital at Lalibela. The Zagwe Dynasty itself was also deposed by Tasfa Iyasus, the Emperor of Abyssinia.

Abyssinia sought to make diplomatic contact with European kingdoms for the first time since the Aksumite era, with proof of a diplomatic relationship with Henry IV of England being the oldest piece. After the depositio of the Zagwe Dynasty, the current Solomonic Dynasty finally took power, with Menelik I as the *negus*. During this time, the Ottoman-backed Adal Sultanate waged a war against Abyssinia & smaller kingdoms. During this time, Negus Dewit II established contact with the Kingdom of Portugal, and Portugal agreed to assist him in fighting the Adal Sultanate.

Though initially unsuccessful, Adal finally started losing the war with the decisive Battle of Dire Dawa, and with the help of the Portuguese reinforcements, finally defeated the Adal Sultanate at the Battle of Wayna Daga. By 1543, Abyssinia had recaptured lost territory but the war had weakened both sides. Meanwhile, the Aussa Sultanate (Afar: *Aysaqiiti Magaalah Xiinisso*) and Harar Sultanates had retained their independence after the defeat of the Adal, but soon fell to the Abyssinians as they invaded through the Semien Kingdom & Shewa.

The Portuguese brought modern weapons and baroque architecture to Ethiopia, and in 1622 converted the Negus Susenyos I to Catholicism, sparking a civil war which ended in his abdication and expulsion of all Catholics from Ethiopia. However, during the time, Jesuits were able to establish several monasteries around the country, and introduced concepts such as guns to the Abyssinians. A new capital was established at Gondar in 1632, and a period of peace and prosperity ensued until the country was split apart by warlords in the 18th century during the Zemene Mesafint.

The Zemene Mesafint (Amharic: ዘመነ መሳፍንት *Era of Judges*) was a period in Ethiopian history between the mid-18th and mid-19th centuries when the country was de facto divided within itself into several regions with no effective central authority, caused by the Ottoman occupation of it's coastline. It was a period in which the Emperors from the Solomonic dynasty were reduced to figureheads confined to the capital city of Gondar. A new capital was established in Magdala, but soon switched back to Gondar after Magdala was abandoned due to a lack of food.

Of particular interest in the Zemene Mesafint period was the kingship of Iyasu II and Iyoas. Iyasu II, the first of these kings, lead a relatively advanced kingdom into ethnic conflict, as he exploited the Tigre, Tigrinya & Agaw peoples of the coastal regions. This caused a brief secession of the coast from Abyssinia as Bahrmedri, a federal republic who's establishment landlocked the country for the first time. Iyoas meanwhile, attempted contact with the Oromos and other southern groups. This, of course required that they be part of Abyssinia, which resulted in a conquest of the south with little resistance. Development of the south was further spearheaded after Bahrmedri collapsed, allowing sea access once again.

The Zemene Mesafint ended with the reign of Tewodros II. He ordered the kingdom out of isolation, which proved to be hugely beneficial for the national economy. He is regarded as one of the country's greatest leaders. Elsewhere in the country, the Oromo people started to expand from their homelands, heading into the forested south in search of resources. They were often met with conflict from opposing ethnic groups, such as the Hararis, Sidama, Gedeo, Gambella & Wolayta people, who were pushed deeper into the south. As they were pushed to the south, some ended up in the British-held Dominion of Kenya, in which they were sent to Mauritius as indentured workers. Other refugees fled to Nubia, were they had to flee again due to Ottoman occupation.

Menelik II officially succeeded Yohannes IV who was killed in action in 1889. Under Menelik II, the country started its transformation to well organized technological advancement and the structure that the country has now. This also led to the conquest of the Oromos & southern ethnicities, in order to gain more territory. Abyssinia defeated an Egyptian invasion in 1876 and an Italian invasion in 1896 which killed 17,000, and came to be recognised as a legitimate state by European powers, and modernized even more under Menelik III.

However, with the advent of colonialism in Africa, the Kingdom of Italy attempted another invasion of Abyssinia, which failed in part due to it's recognition by other European nations. During 1935, Italy had sought to conquer the country again, after a failed invasion before WW1, since they had already conquered Somalia. During the invasion, Italian forces committed many war crimes, such as the use of mustard gas, the aerial bombardment of Harar, and the Yekatit 12 Massacre. The defending forces also committed war crimes with the use of dum-dum bullets, and the killing of healthcare workers. The Italians were ultimately repelled with their defeat by Abyssinia and it's supporters at the Battle of Adwa.

Italy launched a second, even more disastrous invasion through the Italian Somalia colony in 1935, after WW1. The Allies managed to drive the Italians out of the country in 1941, and Haile Selassie was returned to the throne from his 5 years exiled in Britain. After the 1940's, Haile Selassie began his reign, marked by the abolition of slavery, and the formation of the OAS, the African Union's predecessor, and rapid economic & cultural development. Haile Selassie was overthrown in 1974 and the communist Derg came to power, starting the Abyssinian Civil War. The reason for his overthrowing was that the Derg was backed by the Soviets to get rid of the pro-western stance of Abyssinia's government, and to influence other African nations to adopt communism.

The war lasted for only three years, from 1977 to 1980. During this time, control over the country often switched between monarchists and the Derg, which was lead by war-criminal Mengistu Haile Mariam. The conflict killed an estimated 1.8 million people, and considerably set back the country’s development. Between 1977 and 1979 the government tortured or killed hundreds of thousands of suspected enemies in the Red Terror (Amharic: ቀይ ሽብር *Qäy Šəbbər*), akin to the Holocaust. The Red Terror targeted "enemies" including students, dissidents & monarchist sympathizers, and over 3.7 million were killed. It was only with US & NATO help that the war ended in 1980, and Haile Selassie was reinstated as Negus of Abyssinia.

In recent years, the country has lead Africa, both politically and economically. It is recognized as the political capital of the continent, due to the status of Addis Ababa as one of three capitals of the African Union, alongside Èkó and eGoli. The country, though having a relatively high HDI for an African country is plagued by many seperatist and Christian extremist movements that threaten the integrity & stability of the country, most notably the People's Front for Democracy (Tigrinya: ህዝባዊ ግንባር ንደሞክራስን ፍትሕን *Həzbawi Gənbar nəDämokrasən Fətəḥən*), who wishes for Tigrinya-inhabited areas of Abyssinia to secede and form the Republic of Eritrea.

## Politics

The country's government is structured in the form of a unitary semi-constitutional monarchy, with Zera Yacob Amha Selassie as it's Negus (king), and Abiy Ahmed as it's prime minister. The next in line for the throne in the Solomonic Dynasty (the ruling dynasty) is Duke Pawlus Wossen Seged of Harar. Executive power is exercized by the Negus, though the leadership of the government is held by the prime minister, who is elected by the council. The country's current constitution was formed in 1995, with amendments in 2005. The country's parliament functions as the Imperial Council (Amharic: ኢምፔሪያል ምክር ቤ Īmipērīyali Mikiri Bēti). It is a bicameral parliament, in which the country's legislative powers are shared by both houses of parliament.

Elections to decide the members of the parliament every five years, in which the house members are elected by instant run-off vote. The votes also decide who gets elected as Prime Minister of Abyssinia, and their cabinet. The current prime minister being Abiy Ahmed, having been elected since 2015. The system can be compared to that of Britain's or Egypt's royal governments. While Abyssinia is declared as "free" by Freedom House, many opposition and international news sources claim that most national elections were rigged and fradulent, having discovered up to 1.6 million discarded ballots.

Abyssinia is divided into 14 first-level administrative zones, known as provinces (Amharic: ክፍለ ሀገር *Kifle Hāgeri*) of which there are 14 of, and Selassie, which acts as a national capital district under direct governance from the state. These provinces are based off of historical regions and polities, and are structured to have relative autonomy from the national government, such as having their own legislature. These regions are divided into *Kililoch* (Amharic: ክልሎች *regions*), which act as second-level zones. The third level zones are known as districts (Amharic: አውራጃ *Awrajja*).

The Abyssinian National Defense Force (Amharic: የአቢሲኒያ ብሔራዊ መከላከያ ኃይል y*e'Ābīsīnīya Biḥērawī Mekelakeya Hayili*) is the military force of Abyssinian. Civil direction of the military is carried out through the Ministry of Defense, which oversees the ground forces, air force, as well as the Defense Industry Sector. As of 2012, the ENDF consists of two separate branches: the Ground Forces and the Ethiopian Air Force. Ethiopia has several defense industrial organisations that produce and overhaul different weapons systems. Most of these were built under the Derg regime which planned a large military industrial complex. The ENDF relies on voluntary military service of people above 18 years of age.

Many historians trace modern Ethiopia's foreign policy to the reign of Emperor Tewodros II, whose primary concerns were the security of Ethiopia's traditional borders, obtaining technology from Europe and modernization. The efforts of his successor Emperor Yohannes IV to establish a relationship with the United Kingdom, though foreign policy really began in the ages of ancient Egypt. Ethiopia maintains diplomatic links with China, Israel, Mexico and India, among other countries.

## Geography & Nature

Abyssinia is located in a region known as the Horn of Africa, a region shared only with Somalia. It is bordered by Somalia, Nubia, Kush and the EAF. The country's territory has a high central plateau that varies from 1,290 to 3,000 m (4,232 to 9,843 ft) above sea level, with the highest mountain reaching 4,533 m (14,872 ft). It's climate is wildly varying, from hot desert in the northeast, to savanna and monsoon forest in the southwest. This makes it one of Africa's most naturally diverse countries.

Between the valley of the Upper Nile and Ethiopia's border with Sudan and South Sudan is a region of elevated plateaus from which rise the various tablelands and mountains that constitute the Abyssinian Highlands. On nearly every side, the walls of the plateaus rise abruptly from the plains, constituting outer mountain chains. The highlands are thus a clearly marked geographic division. However, a notable difference in elevation appears as the Omo River Valley, which constitutes the border with the Benessa geographic region. This region is where the majority of the Blue Nile flows through the country, and the Grand Renaissance Dam is located here, near the town of Bameza.

To the south of the highlands, the climate gets considerably wetter, as the region gets a high amount of rainfall. This region is called Benessa (Amharic: ቤኔሳ *Bēnēsa*) after a historic region in the area. This region is home to Kaffa, a first-level administrative region and geographic region named for coffee, it's chief cash crop. Much of Abyssinia's agriculture takes place here. Historically, Benessa was considered a backwater, only being integrated into the country at the end of the Zemene Mesafint. This region is bordered to the east by the Bale Mountains, and forms the country's southern border with Somalia. Beenessa is home to the country's rainforests, where much of it's Nilote population lives.

Just north of the Bale Mountains lies the central part of the Abyssinian Highlands. It contains many irregular natural formations known as a*mbas* (Amharic: አምባ), which are steep-sided, flat, rounded landforms. These *ambas* were often fortified, as they offered protection against hostile parties, as they were almost inaccessible from the ground. The central region also contains geothermal activity and hot springs, often being exploited by resort towns such as Sodere. This central region is known as Shewa (Amharic: ሸዋ *Shēwa*), a quite mountainous region. It contains the national capital, Addis Ababa, and the region has a population of 23.3 million, which has caused some congestion and resource straining in the area.

To the north lies the Afar Depression, an area of land that lies below sea level, containing Africa's lowest point, Lake Assal at 155 meters below sea level. Despite being one of the earliest places with recorded human habitation, today the region is anything but habitable, given as the region averages 48°C (118°F) on some days. It is home to many salt flats, as well as Dallol, a prominent cinder cone volcano. It contains the starting point of the East African Rift, which is slowly detaching eastern Africa from the mainland. It is of note that the world newest ocean is slowly forming here as the plates drift, which currently does not have a name .

West of the north lies the warm and temperate north, which holds 48.8 million people. This region is where much of the country's history took place, which is a given due to it's habitable nature. Lake Tana, located in Gojjam and Begmender, is the country's largest naturally ocurring lake, which is the source of the Blue Nile, and the historic homeland of the Amharic people. The Blue Nile flows up until the Nubian border. The coastline of this region is much like the Afar Depression, being extremely hot, and containing Mitsiwa, the world's hottest port and the Dahlak archipelago, home to the Dahlak people, as well as the countries only coral reefs.

Abyssinia has a large variety of indigenous plant and animal species. In some areas, the mountains are covered with shrubs such as pyracantha, jasmine, poinsettia, and a varied assortment of evergreens. The lakes in the Great Rift Valley region abound with numerous species of birds, and wild animals are found in every region. Among the latter are the cheetah, lion, civet, serval, African bush elephant, bushpig, gazelle, antelope, ibex, kudu, dik-dik, oribi, reedbuck, Grévy's zebra, hyena, baboon, and numerous species of monkey. As of 2002, there were at least 277 species of mammals, 262 species of birds, and over 6,600 species of plants throughout the country.

## Economy & Infrastructure

    As of 2025, the GDP of the country is worth $1.647 trillion dollars, making it one of Africa's largest economies. It is a mixed and transition economy with a large public sector. The government of Ethiopia is in the process of privatizing many of the state-owned businesses and moving toward a market economy. However, certain sectors such as telecommunications, financial and insurance services, air and land transportation services are considered as strategic sectors and are expected to remain under state control for the foreseeable future. It's currency is the Birr (ብ, ABB).

Although it has a sizeable agricultural industry, it is plagued by periodic floods and soil degradation caused by overgrazing. Abyssinia has great agricultural potential because of its vast areas of fertile land, diverse climate, generally adequate rainfall, and large labor pool. Regular and reliable harvests helped generate stable tax income that led to relatively strong governmental structures that were ultimately the reason that Ethiopia was the only country not to be colonized by Europeans. It is the largest producer of coffee and coffee-related products in Africa, and a large producer of sorghum, millet, teff and pulses.

Waterpower and forests are Ethiopia's main energy sources. The country derives about 90 percent of its electricity needs from hydropower, which means that electricity generation, as with agriculture, is dependent on abundant rainfall. The most notable of the country's hydroelectric projects is the Grand Renaissance Dam, located in Bameza, Welega province. It is a gravity dam built on the Blue Nile River, and filling of it's respective reservoir completed in June 2022. Abyssinia uses it for electricity, although it donates surplus electricity to Somalia, Nubia, the EAF and Egypt.

Manufacturing in Ethiopia was, before 1957, dominated by cottage and handicraft industries which met most of the population's needs for manufactured goods such as clothes, ceramics, machine tools, and leather goods. It is now primarily dedicated to the manufacturing of machinery, aircraft, metal, metal alloys, metal products and motor vehicles. It is Africa's oldest industry sector, along with South Africa, which also happens to be the country's largest purchasers of it's products, slightly ahead of Sudan. Most of the manufacturing industry is based in the country, though a few foreign countries host plants in Abyssinia.

Over the last years, the Ethiopian federal authorities have significantly increased funding for rail and road construction to build an infrastructure, that allows better economic development. Ethiopia is building a standard gauge railway network, the National Railway Network, planned to consist of up to 5,000 km of railways in a number of years. The railway network's primary purpose is then both to connect Abyssinia to the world market by ensuring a seamless access to one or several sea ports for trade and for transporting most imports and exports. The country has sea access, and while most seaports are in disrepair, funding has been granted to them, especially Mitsiwa.

The Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) is a national five-year plan created by the Abyssinian Government to improve the country's economy by achieving a projected gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 11-15% per year from 2010 to 2015. The plan includes details of the cost and specific targets the government expects to hit by pursuing the following objectives. Plans also include making Addis Ababa Africa's foremost financial centre. This is as until 1995, Abyssinia did not have a stock exchange, but only a commodities exchange. The nation has a national bank, being the National Bank of Abyssinia (Amharic: የአቢሲኒያ ብሔራዊ ባንክ y*e'Ābīsīnīya Biḥērawī Baniki*).

Since it began it's developed in the 1960s, tourism decreased greatly during the later 1970s and the 1980s. In 2002 more than 1,156,000 tourists entered the country, many of them immigrants from Abyssinia visiting from abroad, spending more than US$140 million. In 2008, the number of tourists entering the country had increased to 2,330,000. It now has an average 3,958,000 tourists visiting a year, many of them from Yemen, Sudan and Egypt. It's main attractions are the country's seemingly unspoiled landscape and it's ancient historic sites.

## Demographics

The country has a population of 106.7 million, making it one of Africa's larger countries in terms of population. It is by far the most populous country of the Horn of Africa, and second in East Africa. The country's population is 69.3% urban, accounting to up to around 73.9 million. The rural population is 30.7%, which is a population of 32.7 million. The government hopes to avoid crowding the capital Addis Ababa, a city of 10.7 million by enticing rural migrants to instead migrate to other cities and urban areas. The country is expected to grow to 130-145 million by 2040, which is cause for concern by the Abyssinian government.

The country's population of 106.7 million is highly diverse, comprising over 80 different ethnic groups across larger multiple ethnolinguistic groups. Most people in Abyssinia speak Afroasiatic languages, mainly of the Semitic or Cushitic branches. Among these are the Amhara (27.9 Million), Oromo (24.6 million) and Tigrinya (12.4 Million), who together constitute around three-quarters of the population. Nilo-Saharan-speaking Nilotic ethnic minorities also inhabit the southern regions of the country, particularly in areas bordering South Sudan, such as the Mursi and Anyuak. The country also has Omotic ethnic minorities who speak Afro-Asiatic languages of the Omotic branch, particularly the Welayta and Gamo.

Amharic, the official national language, is a Semitic tongue, the native language of 28.6% of the people, which is descended from the now extinct Ge'ez language. It has always been the official language of the country, and is now considered a lingua franca throughout the nation, much to the detriment of smaller languages. Calls have been made for the second-most spoken language, Oromo (Oromo: *Afān Oromō*) to be made official on the same level as Amharic. Currently, Oromo is considered a regional language, and is spoken by 27% of the population. A number of Abyssinian languages are endangered; victims of language death, as Weyto, Gafat, Mesmes and Ongota very soon may become extinct if nothing is done to preserve and teach them.

The country has traditionally been considered Africa's Jerusalem, having historical ties to Christianity, Judaism and Islam and populations that still practice them to this day. 63.9% of the nation's population adheres to Orthodox Christianity, a sect of Christianity that has been present in the country ever since the time of Akusm. The followers of Orthodoxy are mostly Semitic. Wāqefannā, a traditional religion is followed by 13.6% of the population, and it is the ethnic religion of the Oromo people. 11.5% follow Sunni Islam, mostly Afar and Harari peoples, and 2.6% are Jewish.

## Culture

The culture of Ethiopia is diverse and generally structured along ethnolinguistic lines. The country's Afro-Asiatic-speaking majority adhere to an amalgamation of traditions that were developed independently and through interaction with neighboring and far away civilizations, including other parts of Northeast Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, India, and Italy. By contrast, the nation's Nilotic communities and other ethnolinguistic minorities tend to practice customs more closely linked with Nubia, Kush and the African Great Lakes region.

The best-known Ethiopian cuisine consists of various types of thick meat stews, known as *wat* (Amharic: ወጥ) in Ethiopian culture, and vegetable side dishes served atop injera, a large sourdough flatbread made of teff flour. This is not eaten with utensils, but instead one uses the injera to scoop up the entrées and side dishes. Almost universally in Ethiopia, it is common to eat from the same dish in the center of the table with a group of people. It is also a common custom to feed others in your group with your own hands, part of a tradition referred to as "gursha". Traditional Ethiopian cuisine employs no pork or shellfish of any kind, as they are forbidden in the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian, Islamic and Jewish faiths.

In some central and northern areas, women's traditional clothes are often made from cloth called *shemma*. It is basically cotton cloth, woven in long strips which are then sewn together. Sometimes shiny threads are woven into the fabric for an elegant effect. It takes about two to three weeks to make enough cloth for one dress. The bottom of the garment or shirt may be ornamented with patterns. Nowadays, modern clothing is most popular, being more comfortable and easier to clean. Many traditional clothes are now reserved for special events, though older people wear them in daily life.

Music in the nation is extremely diverse, with each of the country's 80 ethnic groups being associated with unique sounds. Ethiopian music uses a distinct modal system that is pentatonic, with characteristically long intervals between some notes. This system is known as *Qenet* (Amharic: ቅኝት). Popular taste in music is often linked with that of Nubia, Yemen and Somalia. A traditional music genre known as *Manzuma* is used for religious scenes, particularly by the Oromo, Harari and Amharic people. It is performed by an Azmari, a profession similar to that of a bard, who sings both religious and secular music.

Satellite television has been very popular in Ethiopia for many years, with people often watching foreign channels in English and Arabic due to the lack of choice in the Abyssinian television industry. For many years, the only private satellite channel in Ethiopia was EBS TV, established in 1992. However, starting in 2003, a number of new satellite channels serving the Ethiopian market started broadcasting in the main local language of Amharic. Though the country has companies that supply internet, most people prefer to use internet cafés.

Track and field is Abyssinia's most successful sport, in which they have won many medals in the Olympic Games, though football is by far the country's most populous sport. Ethiopia has a tradition of medal-winning runners, most notably Abebe Bikila, Belayneh Dinsamo, and Derartu Tulu. Despite lack of success by the national team, it is supported by a significant part of the population. Other sports played include basketball, volleyball, and tennis. Ethiopia joined the international basketball governing body FIBA in 1949 and has the longest basketball tradition in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since the 1960s, however, the national team fell behind its African competition but aims to return to former glory.

The architecture of Abyssinia varies greatly from region to region. Over the years, it has incorporated various architectural styles and techniques. Of the most popular types of styles in the country, the most notable are Gondarine, Zagwe, Modernism and Post-Modernism. Gondarine is a style with visual elements borrowed from Arab and Mughal buildings, combined with local, Nubian and Baroque styles. The Zagwe style desceded from the underground buildings in Lalibela, though Zagwe-atyle buildings are now mostly built above ground.

Ethiopian painting, on walls, in books, and in icons, is highly distinctive, though the style and iconography are closely related to the simplified Coptic version of Late Antique and Byzantine Christian art. It is typified by simplistic, almost cartoonish, figures with large, almond-shaped, eyes. Colours are usually bright and vivid. The majority of paintings are religious in nature, often decorating church walls and bibles. Secondly there are popular arts and crafts such as textiles, basketry and jewellery, in which Ethiopian traditions are closer to those of other peoples in the region.