Archaeological culture · c. 800–50 BCE (Dʿmt c. 8th–6th century BCE, dates uncertain)
Pre-Aksumite and Proto-Aksumite (Dʿmt)
The highland societies of Eritrea and northern Tigray before the Kingdom of Aksum. A kingdom called Dʿmt, probably with its capital at Yeha, built Sabaean-style temples and wrote in South Arabian script, showing close ties across the Red Sea.
Whether Dʿmt became Aksum or was absorbed by it is unknown.
See Pre-Aksumite and Proto-Aksumite (Dʿmt) on the map in 800 BCE
- On the map
- 800–50 BCE
How we know
A few inscriptions in South Arabian script name the kingdom of Dʿmt and its kings, but they are scarce and their dates uncertain; most knowledge comes from sites such as Yeha.
Sites
- Matara c. 8th century BCE – 7th century CE (approximate; pre-Aksumite to Aksumite)
- Yeha (Great Temple) temple c. 700 BCE