CULTURE
Eritrea was under the rule
of the Aksumite Empire beginning in the fourth century A.D. Christianity
was introduced in the highland region of the country at around
that time, and the Muslim faith was popularized in the lowlands
about 300 years later, sparking conflicts between the two groups
over religious differences. Eritrea was the target of a number
of invasions by foreign powers as a result of its strategic coastal
location along the Red Sea. Over the centuries, Eritrea fell to
the Ottoman Empire, Egypt, Italy, Ethiopia, and eventually came
under British control before gaining independence in 1993.
The inhabitants of Eritrea comprise nine major language groups,
including the Tigrinya, who reside in the south central region,
the Tigre, who live in the north, and the Afar, who reside in
the southeastern part of Eritrea. The remaining ethnic groups
are the Saho, in the south central and southeastern region; the
Hedareb in the northwest; the Bilien in the central section; the
Rashaida, who inhabit the northwest; and the Kunama and Nara,
who make their homes in the southwest part of the country. Eritrea
has no official language, but Tigrinya and Arabic are used in
official government settings. Tigre is also spoken by a large
number of inhabitants in the western part of the country. Most
Eritreans are adherents of the Christian and Muslim religions,
with smaller minorities embracing animism.
The capital city, Asmara, derives its name from "Arbate Asmara,"
meaning "they (feminine) united the four." According to legend,
the people of four neighboring villages were feuding with one
another until the women from each of the villages collaborated
on a plan to resolve the long-standing conflicts, eventually uniting
the four villages as one. The architectural style of Asmara is
mostly Italian, reflecting the nation's status as an Italian colony
from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. Other cities,
including Agordet, feature examples of Turkish and Egyptian architectural
styles, indicative of Eritrea's dominance by the Ottoman Empire
and Egypt in the 16th and 19th centuries, respectively. Traditional
handicrafts and art forms practiced by the Eritrean people include
woodcarving, pottery-making, weaving baskets and textiles, fashioning
leather goods, and making silver and gold jewelry.
The National Museum in Asmara is housed in a former palace, where
a number of colonial rulers once resided. The museum contains
collections of artwork and artifacts pertaining to Eritrean culture.
Asmara also has a number of important religious sites, including
the Catholic Cathedral, which was built in 1922; the Khulafa el
Rashidin mosque, which was constructed in 1937, and the Inda Mariam,
an Orthodox church that was built over several years beginning
in 1917. The city of Massawa provides outstanding examples of
the blending of Italian, Turkish, and Egyptian architectural styles
within its three main sections, Twalet, Idaga, and Batsa. Batsa
contains an old town with Turkish and Egyptian buildings that
were constructed between the 1500s and the 1800s. Many of the
structures feature coral blocks and embellishments of carved stone.
Archaeological ruins can be found in Qohaito and Matera, as well
as in the Rora Haba Mountains.
