Ezana Stone, Ancient inscription in Axum, Ethiopia
The Ezana Stone is a stele with inscriptions standing in the Northern Stelae Field of Axum beside a small fence. The engravings cover three sides of the stone and are written in three different scripts: Greek, South Arabian, and Geez.
The king had the stone erected in the 4th century, shortly after his kingdom turned to Christianity. It documents one of the earliest written records of Christianization south of the Mediterranean.
The text on the stone marks when an African ruler publicly embraced Christianity. The inscription reveals how Ezana abandoned his former titles connected to war and accepted a new religious identity.
The Northern Stelae Field is easily reached on foot from the Axum Museum and is freely accessible to walk around. Visitors can stroll across open ground and between trees without following any marked paths.
The inscription contains one of the earliest mentions of the word Rain in the local Ethiopian script. This marks a cultural shift when the region began to perceive and describe divine forces in new ways.
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