Fikadu Kassa

Buildings Archaeology: the Pre-gondarine Monuments in West Gojjam: Indigenous vs Jesuit Architectural Influences Fikadu Kassa

Ethiopia is home for several aged monuments that preceded the ecclesiastical and secular Gondarine period structures. The architectural origin of these structures is still dubious. Here, some European researchers attribute these monuments to the Jesuit Missionaries who arrived in Ethiopia around 16th century, whereas majority of Ethiopian scholars believed as the buildings are Indigenous. However, these architectural heritages are not adequately studied, documented, and conserved; hence, most of them are found in ruins under fast deterioration rate that could totally demolish them before their cultural heritage significances are adequately assessed and exploited. This book, however, tried to give collective record, systematic description and analysis of these cultural heritages within the frame of local background history. Moreover, this book emphasized on the assessment of cultural heritage values of the monuments and their current state of conservation, issues which were almost ignored by previous studies. Generally, this book will be helpful for archaeologists, architects, historians and art historians who have academic interests in the study of Historical buildings.