Definition: Aksum (also spelled Axum) was the name of a kingdom and capital city in what is now Ethiopia of the 1st through 6th century AD. The rulers of Aksum controlled trade through its ports on the Red Sea between Rome and India and all kinds of places in between.
Archaeological excavations at Aksum were first undertaken by Littman in 1906; and the British Institute in Eastern Africa excavated at Aksum beginning in the 1970s, part of which excavation is described by one of the directors, Stuart Munro-Hay in the photo feature called The Royal Tombs of Aksum.
Be sure to test your knowledge of the ancient town of Aksum with the Aksum Trivia Quiz.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
Archaeological excavations at Aksum were first undertaken by Littman in 1906; and the British Institute in Eastern Africa excavated at Aksum beginning in the 1970s, part of which excavation is described by one of the directors, Stuart Munro-Hay in the photo feature called The Royal Tombs of Aksum.
Be sure to test your knowledge of the ancient town of Aksum with the Aksum Trivia Quiz.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
Alternate Spellings: Axum
