A team of British scientists may have rediscovered the centre of one of Africa's greatest kingdoms - and the possible burial place of the legendary Queen of Sheba.
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Hidden in theNigerian rainforest, the earthworks at Eredo are just a few hour's drive from Lagos.
The team from Bournemouth University, working with archaeologist Dr Patrick Darling, have completed a preliminary survey of the wall and ditch measuring 70ft high in places and around 100 miles long.
While not approaching the complexity of a project like the pyramids in Egypt, the builders would have shifted an estimated 3.5 million cubic metres of earth during construction of the ramparts.
This is one million cubic metres more than the amount of rock and earth used in the Great Pyramid at Giza.
The wall marks out what the believed boundary of the original Ijebu kingdom, ruled by the 'Awujale' spiritual leader.
Civil wars and the arrival of the British eventually broke the kingdom's centuries-old Lagos lagoon trade monopoly.
But the Awujale of the modern day town of Ijebu-Ode still holds a traditional position of responsibility.
But the Awujale of the modern day town of Ijebu-Ode still holds a traditional position of responsibility.
Dr Darling, described the Eredo site as a breathtaking find with many of its remains relatively intact, though overgrown by the rainforest.
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The Awujale: Link to Sheba?
"We are not linking what we found to a city, but to a vast kingdom boundary rampart," he told the BBC.
"The vertical sided ditches go around the area for 100 miles and it is more than 1,000 years old.
"That makes it the earliest proof of an kingdom founded in the African rainforest."
Love story
But more intriguing still is the suggested link to the Queen of Sheba, one of the world's oldest love stories.
According to the Old Testament, the Queen, ruler of Saba, sent a camel train of gold and ivory to King Solomon.
Solomon wooed and married the queen after she became overwhelmed by the splendour of his palace and their son began a dynasty of rulers in Ethiopia.
The Bible dates the queen's reign to the tenth century BC and modern scholars have speculated that a link between Judea and an ancient African queen led to the emergence of Judaism in Ethiopia.
In a tale closely linked to that in the Bible, the Koran describes the Queen as a sun worshipper based in the Arabian peninsula who was converted to Islam.
Arabian legend names the queen "Bilqis" and links her to the incense trade which was then a source of great regional power.
Bilikisu Sungbo
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Lovers: Figures of legend.. |
But 500-year-old Portuguese documents hint at the power of an Ijebu kingdom and build the case for Sheba being on the other side of the continent.
Local people near to the Eredo monuments link the area to Bilikisu Sungbo, another name for Sheba, said Dr Darling.
Local tradition speaks of a great queen building a vast monument of remembrance and there is an annual pilgrimage to what is believed to be her grave.
The region's long history of gold and ivory trade and the cultural importance of eunuchs linked to royal households further support the Sheba link.
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"I don't want to overplay the Sheba theory, but it cannot be discounted," said Dr Darling.
"The local people believe it and that's what is important.
"Hundreds or thousands of pilgrims come to this area every year to honour what could be her grave, a magical shrine grove under tall trees.
"She's very much a real figure to local people. She is associated with the earlier figure of Bilikiso Sungbo, but I think the traditional figure was a powerful matriarch.
"The most cogent argument against it at the moment is the dating."
World heritage
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The Pyramids: Could Nigeria find rival the great wonder?
Dr Darling, a member of the African Legacy educational organisation which is working with the Nigerian Government, said that Eredo could become Nigeria's first world heritage site, joining monuments like Stonehenge in the UK and the pyramids of Egypt.
He said Eredo had remained hidden to the outside world because of the lack of scientific and archaeological research in west Africa.
"What is exciting about this for me is that we are beginning to bring out the tremendous political and cultural achievements of black Africa," he said.
"But there is a lot more work that we can do in the region."
BBC.co.uk reportage.
Na wa.
ReplyDeleteKi lo nba ka nitori Olorun?
ReplyDeleteIs this not educating?
DeleteHummmm
ReplyDeleteNo time to read
ReplyDeleteWhat? I can blv it....
DeleteBest of luck in their search
ReplyDelete*Larry was here*
This would be great if it's true.
ReplyDeleteYour comment will be visible after approval.
Too long. Na them sabi
ReplyDeleteRead guy....
DeleteIf na nyash and prick, u go read. Olodo
DeleteToo long abeg
ReplyDelete@ Blessing Jackson, lazy brain. Learn 2 develop d habit of reading.
DeleteDats would av been to good to be trUe.
ReplyDeleteI've heard about this before. Google is my friend..
ReplyDeleteI've heard about this before. Google is my friend..
ReplyDeleteJobless people.
ReplyDeleteWasn't it Queen of Sheba that visited Solomon? Wetin come "consign" Nigeria for inside now?
Nothing person no go hear for this world. Goodluck to them.
ReplyDeleteAfrica is gon be world power again
ReplyDeleteFor Ur mind....
DeleteKikikikikikiki
DeleteQueen sheba in Nigeria and lagos to be precise? Oya ooooh Dr Darling must be high on some cheap crack
ReplyDeleteIt is still an ongoing research....
DeleteWarefa
ReplyDeleteSolomon married the queen of Sheba after she wooed him with gifts, they gave birth to a son who started a ruling dynasty which still exists today among the ppl of Ethiopia where the supposed queen of Sheba came from......
ReplyDeleteThe amazing part of the story now is that they discovered her suspected grave in Las gidi .. Not Ethiopia
I can't help but suspect that these supposed archaeologists are seeking attention.
Which one is bring out the tremendous whatever in black africa? Nigeria first plz. They should av said 'bringing out the tremendous and political achievements in Nigeria and africa as a whole. Simple
ReplyDeletePls read.....it is not lagos..... it is in Ijebu land
ReplyDeleteLike seriously... na true
ReplyDeleteStella I am confirming to you that the Queen of Sheba,s tomb is in Oke eri few minutes form ijebu ode OGUN state. The Bilikisu sugbon .
ReplyDeleteremaining Joseph's many colours' robe.
ReplyDelete