 The temple is a remarkable huge stone structure believed to have been dedicated to the south Arabian moon god “Almuqah”. The ancient city of Yeha was first described in the early 16th C by the Portuguese traveler Francisco Alvarez. Alvarez. Described it as a very longe and hand some tower, both for its height and the good workmanship of its walls. This fine old building, according to the nineteenth century German Scholar Heinrich Miller, probably dates back to about seven or eight hundred years before the birth of Christ. The temple stands on a small hill, at the foot of a nearby mountain, with a reasonable sized village of traditional Tigrai style houses nearby.
 The temple, which is reminiscent of those in Yemen and other parts of south Arabia, consists of large smoo thly polished stone blocks, some as much as three hundred centimeters long, neatly placed one above or beside another, without any apparent use of mortar. The roof and the west wall are both missing, but several square holes in the remaining walls toward the east of the structure indicate where partitions, probably of wood, once stood. Today Yeha can be explored from Axum in half day excursion or on the way to mekele exploring the Tigrai rock hewn churches.
 Traditional history: The Old Testament makes no fewer than thirty references to Ethiopia ("Cush" to the Hebrews). Moses wedded an "Ethiopian" woman (Numbers 12:1). According to oral tradition Ethiopia was settled by Ethiopic the great grand son of Noah. Ethiopic son Aksumai founded the capital of Aksum and a dynasty of rulers that lasted for between 52 and 97 generations. Queen Makeda of Sabea (Sheba) belongs to this dynasty who ruled Ethiopia and Yemen for 31 years. Queen Sheba is believed to have gone to Jerusalem for a visit during which she conceived a child for King Solomon. She came back to Ethiopia with the foetal Menelik and converted to Judaism. Menelik returned to Jerusalem for a visit of his father. Menelik decided to return back home during which he was given heir ship of the throne in Jerusalem. He declined to be king and when he returned home he was accompanied by the first born sons of Israel. It was during this time that the holiest of all Judaic artifacts, the Ark of the Covenant was taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Ethiopia.  The ark remained in Ethiopia ever since and now is locked away in Saint Mary Zion church in Axum. The Solomonic dynasty founded by Menelik is believed to have ruled Ethiopia almost unbroken 1974 when the 237th Solomonic monarch, Hailesilasie was toppled in a revolution. The oldest written version of the Makeda legend is found in the highly fanciful 14th C geez volume known as Kibrenegest (glory of kings). The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is unique in its Jewish influence found among the Felasha people who are believed to arrive during the times of queen Sheba. |
