Lake Hashenge (also ጻዕዳ ባሕሪ Lake Hashange, Lake Hashengi) is a lake in the southern Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Located in the Ethiopian highlands at an elevation of 2409 meters, it has no outlet. According to the Statistical Abstract of Ethiopia for 1967/68, Lake Hashenge is five kilometers long and four wide, with a surface area of 20 square kilometers.
The British explorer Henry Salt, who notes that the Tigrinya name of the lake is Tsada Bahri ("White Sea") from the number of birds which cover its surface, records a local tradition that a large city once stood on the site of Hashenge, but "it was destroyed, in his displeasure, by the immediate hand of God."[1] The legend is vivid up to today.
Another notable battle that took place on the shores of this lake was the Battle of Lake Ashenge on 9 October 1909, when Dejazmach Abate Bwalu defeated the rebel forces of Dejazmach Abraha Araya.[2]
On 3 April 1936, thousands of soldiers of the Ethiopian Empire were killed with poison gas all around Lake Ashenge. The soldiers were withdrawing from the Battle of Maychew during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. As they withdrew, the Italians sprayed and bombed the area around the lake with mustard gas to deadly effect. On 4 April, Emperor Haile Selassie I looked with despair upon the horrific sight of the dead bodies of his army ringing the poisoned lake.[3]
Lake Ashenge, a closed-basin lake near the northernmost penetration of summer monsoon rains, is well placed to provide a continental record of past changes in the strength of the African monsoon system. Diatom and oxygen isotope analyses of the lake sediments confirm that the overall trend of climate change during the past 17,000 years was driven by precessional forcing, punctuated by abrupt shifts that may be linked to changes in Atlantic surface temperatures.[4]
Notes
^Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia (Philadelphia and Boston, 1816), pp. 216f
^Harold G. Marcus, The Life and Times of Menelik II: Ethiopia 1844-1913, (Lawrenceville: Red Sea Press, 1995), p. 240
^Marshall, Michael H.; Lamb, Henry F.; Davies, Sarah J.; Leng, Melanie J.; Kubsa, Zelalem; Umer, Mohammed; Bryant, Charlotte (August 2009). "Climatic change in northern Ethiopia during the past 17,000 years: A diatom and stable isotope record from Lake Ashenge". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 279 (1–2): 114–127. Bibcode:2009PPP...279..114M. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2009.05.003. ISSN 0031-0182.
Sources
Barker, A.J. (1971). Rape of Ethiopia, 1936. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 160 pages. ISBN978-0-345-02462-6.
This article about a location in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
lake, ashenge, lake, hashenge, also, ጻዕዳ, ባሕሪ, lake, hashange, lake, hashengi, lake, southern, tigray, region, ethiopia, located, ethiopian, highlands, elevation, 2409, meters, outlet, according, statistical, abstract, ethiopia, 1967, lake, hashenge, five, kil. Lake Hashenge also ጻዕዳ ባሕሪ Lake Hashange Lake Hashengi is a lake in the southern Tigray Region of Ethiopia Located in the Ethiopian highlands at an elevation of 2409 meters it has no outlet According to the Statistical Abstract of Ethiopia for 1967 68 Lake Hashenge is five kilometers long and four wide with a surface area of 20 square kilometers Lake HashengeLake HashengeCoordinates12 34 50 N 39 30 00 E 12 58056 N 39 50000 E 12 58056 39 50000 Coordinates 12 34 50 N 39 30 00 E 12 58056 N 39 50000 E 12 58056 39 50000Primary outflowsnoneBasin countriesEthiopiaMax length5 km 3 1 mi Max width4 km 2 5 mi Surface area20 km2 7 7 sq mi Surface elevation2 409 m 7 904 ft The British explorer Henry Salt who notes that the Tigrinya name of the lake is Tsada Bahri White Sea from the number of birds which cover its surface records a local tradition that a large city once stood on the site of Hashenge but it was destroyed in his displeasure by the immediate hand of God 1 The legend is vivid up to today History EditOn August 29 1542 Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al Ghazi the leader of the Adal Sultanate advanced upon the Portuguese stockade near Ofla on the southern side of Ashenge where he fought the Battle of Ofla and prevailed afterwards capturing and killing the leader Cristovao da Gama Another notable battle that took place on the shores of this lake was the Battle of Lake Ashenge on 9 October 1909 when Dejazmach Abate Bwalu defeated the rebel forces of Dejazmach Abraha Araya 2 On 3 April 1936 thousands of soldiers of the Ethiopian Empire were killed with poison gas all around Lake Ashenge The soldiers were withdrawing from the Battle of Maychew during the Second Italo Abyssinian War As they withdrew the Italians sprayed and bombed the area around the lake with mustard gas to deadly effect On 4 April Emperor Haile Selassie I looked with despair upon the horrific sight of the dead bodies of his army ringing the poisoned lake 3 Lake Ashenge a closed basin lake near the northernmost penetration of summer monsoon rains is well placed to provide a continental record of past changes in the strength of the African monsoon system Diatom and oxygen isotope analyses of the lake sediments confirm that the overall trend of climate change during the past 17 000 years was driven by precessional forcing punctuated by abrupt shifts that may be linked to changes in Atlantic surface temperatures 4 Notes Edit Salt A voyage to Abyssinia Philadelphia and Boston 1816 pp 216f Harold G Marcus The Life and Times of Menelik II Ethiopia 1844 1913 Lawrenceville Red Sea Press 1995 p 240 A J Barker The Rape of Ethiopia p 105 Marshall Michael H Lamb Henry F Davies Sarah J Leng Melanie J Kubsa Zelalem Umer Mohammed Bryant Charlotte August 2009 Climatic change in northern Ethiopia during the past 17 000 years A diatom and stable isotope record from Lake Ashenge Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology 279 1 2 114 127 Bibcode 2009PPP 279 114M doi 10 1016 j palaeo 2009 05 003 ISSN 0031 0182 Sources EditBarker A J 1971 Rape of Ethiopia 1936 New York Ballantine Books p 160 pages ISBN 978 0 345 02462 6 This article about a location in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lake Ashenge amp oldid 1065165753, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
