Archaeology in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia: Research Trends and Prospects

Ethiopia is known to have immense archaeological resources. The central highlands of Ethiopia were one of the regions known to be home to diverse archaeological sites. The area served as a hub for religious and political dynamics during the medieval period, which attracted travelers since the 15th century. Nevertheless, archaeological research began very recently in the 1990s. Since then, most archaeological research has been multi-disciplinary undertakings. This paper aims to synthesize the major archaeological research undertaken so far to define trends and identify aspects left unexplored that are worth future consideration. Over a decade of research engagement of the author in the region, coupled with an understanding of the state of the field from previous works, provides the data set for this paper. The genesis of archaeological research in the region is presented in three major phases: Travelers and early archaeological plotting, major archaeological projects, and the current developments. The cases presented in phase two particularly focus on a cross-cultural reconstruction of the three cultural groups that occupied the region during the medieval period. The findings from one of these projects served as a foundation for the others. Nevertheless, the case of the Shay culture, identified for the first time as a pre-Christian tradition, remains far from complete and warrants further archaeological research. Thus, this article provides an overview of the archaeological resources in the region and research works so far undertaken, while reflecting on the need for further research, conservation, and valorization.