Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa: Early History

Domestication of Animals and Stone Tools

• Domestication of animals like cattle and use of stone tools took place in Ethiopia and the Horn region
• Sites of domestication of animals like cattle in Ethiopia include Laga Oda rock shelter, Lalibela Cave, and Lake Basaqa near Matahara

Languages and Linguistic Processes

• Ethiopia and the Horn region are marked by ethnic and linguistic diversity, with approximately 90 languages
• The languages of the region are classified into two super families: Afro-Asiatic and Nilo-Saharan
• Afro-Asiatic super family is sub-divided into families including Cushitic, Semitic, and Omotic
• Cushitic family is grouped into Northern Cushitic, Central Cushitic, Eastern Cushitic, and Southern Cushitic branches
• Semitic family is divided into North Semitic and South Semitic branches
• Omotic family includes languages such as Anfillo, Ari, Bambasi, and others

Queen Elleni and Portuguese Embassy

• Queen Elleni played an important role in strengthening relations with Portugal
• In 1508, Portugal sent an ambassador to Christian Ethiopia
• Around 1512, Queen Elleni sent an Armenian called Mathew to Portugal
• The Portuguese Embassy led by Rodrigo di Lima, Duwarto Galliba, and Francisco Alvarez reached Ethiopia in 1520 and remained for six years

Politics, Economy, and Social Processes

• Conflict between the Christian Kingdom and the Sultanate of Adal was caused by competition for control over trade routes
• The Imam's army defeated the Christian Kingdom in 1529 at the battle of Shimbra Kure
• Imam Ahmed's empire stretched from Zeila to Massawa on the coast, including the Ethiopian interior
• Linguistic and religious interactions accompanied by intermarriages among peoples of various cultural groups occurred in the region
• Competition for supremacy over the Red Sea and Indian Ocean between Portugal and the Ottoman Turks gave the conflict a global dimension

Conflict between the Christian Kingdom and the Sultanate of Adal

• The revival of long-distance trade caused competition and struggle for control over trade routes between the Christian Kingdom and the Muslim principalities
• The Imam's army fought fiercely and controlled territories including Bali, Dawaro, Fatagar, Sidama, Hadiya, and Kambata

Gadaa System and Oromo Population Movement

• The Gadaa system was a system of government among the Oromo people
• The Gadaa system functioned by cyclical power transfer from one Gadaa class to the next every eight years
• Women maintained their rights by the Sinqe institution, which helped them form sisterhood and solidarity