Resources
Resources
Embedded Files
360 Photographs of Sites (Virtual Tours)
Khwi'en Village Vernacular Architecture. Former Residence of Reise Debre Gebremariam. https://kuula.co/post/5gbTw/collection/7cnsz . Captured in collaboration with the Rumi Okazaki Lab, March 2024.
Khwi'en Village St. Mikael Hidmo Church built on a small hill next to May Enda Estiphanos river. https://kuula.co/post/n1/collection/7cnwl. Captured in collaboration with the Rumi Okazaki Lab, March 2024.
Agulae Kidane Mihret Church https://kuula.co/post/5M3cb/collection/7c55Y. Captured in collaboration with the Rumi Okazaki Lab, March 2024.
Agulae Kahsay Castle, former Imperial compound of Emperor Yohannes IV https://kuula.co/post/n1/collection/7c55m. Captured in collaboration with the Rumi Okazaki Lab, March 2024.
Selassie Cheleqot Church . https://kuula.co/post/n1/collection/7Xtg9 . Captured in collaboration with the Rumi Okazaki Lab, March 2024.
newer Al Nejashi Mosque built next to the old mosque. https://kuula.co/post/5M3TR/collection/7c5hv. Captured in collaboration with the Rumi Okazaki Lab, March 2024.
Al Nejashi Mosque old building. https://kuula.co/post/n1/collection/7c55T. Captured in collaboration with the Rumi Okazaki Lab, March 2024.
Wuqro Ch'erqos Rockhewn Church in Wuqro town. https://kuula.co/post/5M3JQ/collection/7c555 Captured in collaboration with the Rumi Okazaki Lab, March 2024.
Mekelle Old Municipality Building.. https://kuula.co/post/5ykzl/collection/7Kn6M Captured by Alula Tesfay Feb. 2024.
3D Models
Traditions Grave in Adwa Holy Savior monastery. Adwa. https://skfb.ly/p9AUZ Captured by Alula Tesfay, Jan 2025.
Window 1 scan of Ch'eleqot Sillasie Church. https://skfb.ly/p9zpM . Captured in collaboration with the Rumi Okazaki Lab, March 2024.
Altar in Wuqro Archaeological Museum, Wuqro. https://skfb.ly/oY7rH. Captured in collaboration with the Rumi Okazaki Lab, March 2024.
Window 2 scan of Ch'eleqot Sillasie Church. https://skfb.ly/p9zpK . Captured in collaboration with the Rumi Okazaki Lab, March 2024.
Window 3 scan of Ch'eleqot Sillasie Church. https://skfb.ly/p9zpP . Captured in collaboration with the Rumi Okazaki Lab, March 2024.
Heritage Maps
ካርታታት ቅርሲ መቐለ፣ ዓዲግራትን ውቕሮን
ካርታታት ቅርሲ መቐለ፣ ዓዲግራትን ውቕሮን
Heritage Maps of Mekelle, Adigrat & Wukro
In 2024, during a graduate seminar at Mekelle University, MSc students created the first digital inventory of the tangible, intangible and natural heritage of their home towns.
The project’s open-access maps provide a foundational snapshot of post-conflict cultural landscapes in Tigray and are intended as starting points for urban planners, local administrations, researchers, NGOs and community groups engaged in heritage-centred recovery and development.
These can be accessed here:
Mekelle: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15777511
Visual Materials (Aerial drone footage, High-resolution site photographs )
Arial Drone footages
Aerial footage of Che'leqot Silassie Church, captured on August 26, 2024, using a DJI Mavic Mini drone. Filmed during the rainy season, the church is surrounded by lush green vegetation, offering a unique view of its landscape.
Raw Aerial footage of Dejat Gebresillassie Residence, captured on January 18, 2025 using a DJI Mavic Mini drone. Dejat Gebresillassie Woldesillassie was a prominent chief under Emperor Yohannes, overseeing several major constructions. This residence in Agulae, built in the 1840s-1850s, was one of his key projects. He also played a significant role in supervising the construction of the Emperor’s palace in Agulae. There’s a famous legend that he was scolded for building his house even grander than the Emperor’s palace!
Amanuel Maego (ኣማኑኤል ማዕጎ), Debre Medhanit Monastery (ደብረ መድሓኒት ገዳም) in Negashi
This historic monastery, severely affected during the recent conflict, still awaits restoration. In May 2025, we conducted on-site documentation. The following cinematic footage, captured by drone, offers a visual record of its current condition — a sacred space in need of healing, yet standing with dignity.
Medhané Alem Church – Feleg Da’ïro, Mekelle (እንዳ መድኃኒ ዓለም ቤተክርስትያን፣ ፈለግ ዳዕሮ፣ መቐለ)
The Medhané Alem (Holy Savior) Church is one of the finest surviving examples of Tigrayan ecclesiastical architecture from the 1500s. The current structure was built in 1543 AD and stands on a site with pre-Christian sacred origins, reflecting the long continuity of spiritual traditions in northern Ethiopia.
Open Access Resources
Downloadable Resources (For offline use)
High-resolution images and site reports
PDF research papers and articles
Open-source restoration guides
Data sets (CSV, GIS files) for researchers
Training materials for heritage conservation
External Valuable Resources
Arho – The Afar Salt Trade of Northeastern Ethiopia
Many of the Hidmo houses studied in this project were built by people who regularly traveled to Arho (a tough journey into the salt mines), a key route in the historic salt trade route.
This documentary film was directed by Till Trojer, with our research collaborator Tesfahun Haddis involved as a camera operator. The film captures the journey of a camel caravan to the salt plains and the transformation of this centuries-old trade. Through striking visuals and traditional Afar music, it explores the impact of modernization on the communities of the Berahle district.
Copyright (c) 2021 Till Jakob Frederik Trojer
🔗 Watch the full film: DOI: https://doi.org/10.15845/jaf.v5i01.3146
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