State formation and water resources management in the Horn of Africa

The Aksumite Kingdom of the northern Ethiopian highlands

Bibliographic Data

ID3919085
AuthorsFederica Sulas (0000-0003-1825-8133), Marco Madella (0000-0002-9324-1545, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), C French (0000-0001-7967-3248, University of Cambridge)
Year2009
Volume41
Issue1
Pages2-15
Publication date2009-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueWorld Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0043-8243 • E-ISSN: 1470-1375
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00438240802668271
OpenAlexW2150912741
LanguageEN
Citations received16
References cited37

Intensification of agriculture and irrigation are often considered triggers for both the flourishing and demise of civilizations. Was irrigation a key factor of state formation and urban development in northern Ethiopia? We argue that a household-based management of farmland and water would have provided a strategy sustainable over the long term and flexible enough to adjust to population expansion and contraction at the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Aksum (first millennium ad). This conclusion is based on research into environmental, archaeological and historical data concerning the forms and use of water resources together with new information originating from geoarchaeological and palaeobotanical work in the Aksum area. The results indicate that the characteristics of the environment and traditional farming system are such that intensive irrigation works were not necessary. It appears likely that ancient Aksumites utilized seasonal rainfall and water conservation methods to sustain food production

Agriculture · Agroforestry · Archaeology · Demise · Geography · Irrigation · Political science · Population · Sustainability · Sustainable Management · Water resources · African history and culture analysis · Ecology · Environmental Science · Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology · Water management and technologies