Tiya Stelae Field

Southern Ethiopia


The World Heritage–listed Tiya Stelae Field is an important stelae cluster at the south end of Tiya village, about 35km after the turn-off to Adadi. Tiya contains 41 stelae up to 5m in height (including the buried portions), engraved with enigmatic symbols including swords. They mark graves of individuals aged between 18 and 30 who died around 700 years ago and were buried in the foetal position, though little is known about the culture that carved them.


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