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Buried Christian (and Pagan) Basilica Discovered in Ethiopia's 'Lost Kingdom' of Aksum
By Tom Metcalfe - Live Science Contributor 17 hours ago
An ancient church from the fourth century, containing both early Christian and what may be pagan artifacts, has been unearthed in a buried town in northern Ethiopia.
The finds shed a rare light on the ancient kingdom of Aksum — a relatively little-known North African civilization that was among the first to convert to Christianity in the fourth century.
Archaeologists discovered the early Christian church, built in the lofty Roman style called a basilica, while excavating the buried town of Beta Samati. The town, whose name means "house of audience" in Ethiopia's Tigrinya language, formed part of the kingdom centered on the ancient city of Aksum.
Aksum was a regional power from about 80 B.C. until A.D. 825 and a trading partner of Imperial Rome, thanks to its location near the Red Sea on the ancient trade route to India. But its name is unknown to most people today.
More:
https://www.livescience.com/buried-christian-church-lost-kingdom-ethiopia.html
