The rock-cut churches of Lalibela and the cave church of Washa Mika'el: troglodytism and the Christianisation of the Ethiopian Highlands

Recent archaeological research challenges the notion that Lalibela's monolithic churches emerged suddenly during Ethiopia's Christian shift from Aksum to the Highlands in the 13th century. Instead, these rock-cut structures were built upon an earlier troglodytic tradition, particularly evident at Washa Mika'el. This finding reveals a continuity between pre-Christian and Christian cultures, with sculpted decor adapting within a new religious framework. The study combines archaeological evidence to illuminate medieval Ethiopia's cosmopolitan society and its role in the region's Christianization.

Derat, M.-L., Bosc-Tiessé, C., Garric, A., Mensan, R., Fauvelle, F.-X., Gleize, Y., & Goujon, A.-L. (2021). The rock-cut churches of Lalibela and the cave church of Washa Mika’el: troglodytism and the Christianisation of the Ethiopian Highlands. Antiquity, 95(380), 467–486. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2021.20