The hill of Kwiha Cherqos located on the eastern fringe of the modern city was settled during the Aksumite Period and hosted monumental buildings, possibly including a church. Monumental stone pillars typical of the Aksumite architecture can be seen near the new church at the summit of the hill.[2][3]
Medieval Periodedit
A Muslim community is attested in Kwiha between the 10th and 13th century through Arabic funerary stelae discovered in the field known as Bilet, east of the tell of Kwiha Cerqos.[4][5]
19th centuryedit
On the northern edge of town are ruins, including a set of monolithic pillars. The ruins were first described by Nathaniel Pearce in the early 19th century, which included the presence of inscriptions. he also mentions the presence of a sacred spring whose waters "afflicted with disease resort from far and near to bathe."[1] There is also a tradition that the ruins were part of a church dedicated to saint Cyriakos (in Ethiopia known as Qirqos respectively Chirqos/Cherqos) and destroyed by ImamAhmad Gragn. Although no other remains of this structure has been recorded, a more recent church stands nearby and "grave digging has exposed rough walls and possibly Aksumite pottery."[6]
20th centuryedit
The Guida dell'Africa orientale Italiana describes Kwiha in 1938, during the Italian occupation, as having a small Italian settlement below the center of town, and little north of the pass a small church of San Francesco da Páola built by an Italian military unit.[7] In 1938, there were shops, five restaurants and Hotel-Restaurant “Romagnolo” in Kwiha. There was also a car service station and an airport.[8] The town was occupied by the Woyane during their rebellion against the Ethiopian government in late 1943.[9]
Kwiha had telephone service at least as early as 1956, when it is reported that the only hotel in town had the only telephone.[7]
Transportationedit
Kwiha is the administrative center of the Endertaworeda.
The airport of Mekelle, Alula Aba Nega Airport is located within the administrative boundaries of Kwiha. In Kwiha, the (main) paved road from Addis Ababa takes a sharp turn left to Mek'ele. The recently asphalted old road to Asmara, which used to bear the "National road n°1" label, keeps heading north to the village of Maymegden and Wukro.
A local road starts in Kwiha linking the eastern tabias of Arato and Dergajen to the woreda center. Seven kilometers south of Kwiha a regional road heading to Shiket and the Afar Region diverts from the national highway.
Demographicsedit
In 1938, the town counted approximately 900 inhabitants (including 60 Italians).[8] Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Qwiha has an estimated total population of 12,543, of whom 5,644 were males and 6,899 were females.[10] The 1994 census reported it had a total population of 9,867 of whom 4,336 were males and 5,531 were females. It is one of two towns in Endertaworeda.
Notesedit
^ abNathaniel Pearce, (J.J. Halls, editor), The Life and Adventures of Nathaniel Pearce (London, 1831), vol. 1 pp. 121-4
^Breton, Jean-François; Ayele, Yohannes Aytenew (15 December 2019). "Kwiha (Tigray, Ethiopia): the Aksumite city". Afrique: Archéologie & Arts (15): 53–66. doi:10.4000/aaa.2481.
^Loiseau, Julien (1 December 2020). "Retour à Bilet. Un cimetière musulman médiéval du Tigray oriental (Inscriptiones Arabicae Aethiopiae 1)". Bulletin d'études orientales (LXVII): 59–96. doi:10.4000/beo.7202.
^Loiseau, Julien; Dorso, Simon; Gleize, Yves; Ollivier, David; Ayenachew, Deresse; Berhe, Hiluf; Chekroun, Amélie; Hirsch, Bertrand (2021). "Bilet and the wider world: new insights into the archaeology of Islam in Tigray". Antiquity: 1–22. doi:10.15184/aqy.2020.163.
^David W. Phillipson, Ancient Churches of Ethiopia (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009), p. 49
^ ab"Local History in Ethiopia" The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 10 January 2008)
^ abConsociazione turistica Italiana. Guida dell'Africa orientale Italiana. Milano. p. 301.
^Gebru Tareke, Ethiopia: Power and protest (Lawrenceville: Red Sea Press, 1996), pp. 108ff
qwiha, also, soil, inderta, kwiha, italian, colonial, spelling, quiha, recent, years, some, writers, misunderstood, without, basis, local, spelling, pronunciation, town, located, tigray, regional, state, ethiopia, quiha, biggest, airport, tigray, which, called. See also Soil in Inderta Kwiha in Italian colonial spelling Quiha in recent years by some writers misunderstood as Qwiha without any basis in local spelling and pronunciation is a town located in Tigray Regional State Ethiopia Quiha has the biggest airport in Tigray which is called Alula Aba Nega airport The name comes from the local word for willows which are abundant in the area 1 Located in the Debub Misraqawi south eastern Zone of the Tigray Regional State it lies 9 kilometers east of Mekelle straddling Ethiopian Highway 2 which leads to Addis Ababa It has a latitude and longitude of 13 28 37 N 39 32 42 E 13 47694 N 39 54500 E 13 47694 39 54500 with an elevation of 2247 meters above sea level KwihaFlagKwihaLocation within EthiopiaCoordinates 13 29 N 39 38 E 13 483 N 39 633 E 13 483 39 633CountryEthiopiaRegionTigrayZoneDebub Misraqawi south eastern WoredaEndertaElevation2 247 m 7 372 ft Population 2005 Total12 543Time zoneUTC 3 EAT Contents 1 History 1 1 Antiquity 1 2 Medieval Period 1 3 19th century 1 4 20th century 2 Transportation 3 Demographics 4 NotesHistory editAntiquity edit The hill of Kwiha Cherqos located on the eastern fringe of the modern city was settled during the Aksumite Period and hosted monumental buildings possibly including a church Monumental stone pillars typical of the Aksumite architecture can be seen near the new church at the summit of the hill 2 3 Medieval Period edit A Muslim community is attested in Kwiha between the 10th and 13th century through Arabic funerary stelae discovered in the field known as Bilet east of the tell of Kwiha Cerqos 4 5 19th century edit On the northern edge of town are ruins including a set of monolithic pillars The ruins were first described by Nathaniel Pearce in the early 19th century which included the presence of inscriptions he also mentions the presence of a sacred spring whose waters afflicted with disease resort from far and near to bathe 1 There is also a tradition that the ruins were part of a church dedicated to saint Cyriakos in Ethiopia known as Qirqos respectively Chirqos Cherqos and destroyed by Imam Ahmad Gragn Although no other remains of this structure has been recorded a more recent church stands nearby and grave digging has exposed rough walls and possibly Aksumite pottery 6 20th century edit The Guida dell Africa orientale Italiana describes Kwiha in 1938 during the Italian occupation as having a small Italian settlement below the center of town and little north of the pass a small church of San Francesco da Paola built by an Italian military unit 7 In 1938 there were shops five restaurants and Hotel Restaurant Romagnolo in Kwiha There was also a car service station and an airport 8 The town was occupied by the Woyane during their rebellion against the Ethiopian government in late 1943 9 Kwiha had telephone service at least as early as 1956 when it is reported that the only hotel in town had the only telephone 7 Transportation editKwiha is the administrative center of the Enderta woreda The airport of Mekelle Alula Aba Nega Airport is located within the administrative boundaries of Kwiha In Kwiha the main paved road from Addis Ababa takes a sharp turn left to Mek ele The recently asphalted old road to Asmara which used to bear the National road n 1 label keeps heading north to the village of Maymegden and Wukro A local road starts in Kwiha linking the eastern tabias of Arato and Dergajen to the woreda center Seven kilometers south of Kwiha a regional road heading to Shiket and the Afar Region diverts from the national highway Demographics editIn 1938 the town counted approximately 900 inhabitants including 60 Italians 8 Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005 Qwiha has an estimated total population of 12 543 of whom 5 644 were males and 6 899 were females 10 The 1994 census reported it had a total population of 9 867 of whom 4 336 were males and 5 531 were females It is one of two towns in Enderta woreda Notes edit a b Nathaniel Pearce J J Halls editor The Life and Adventures of Nathaniel Pearce London 1831 vol 1 pp 121 4 Conti Rossini 1939 Breton Jean Francois Ayele Yohannes Aytenew 15 December 2019 Kwiha Tigray Ethiopia the Aksumite city Afrique Archeologie amp Arts 15 53 66 doi 10 4000 aaa 2481 Loiseau Julien 1 December 2020 Retour a Bilet Un cimetiere musulman medieval du Tigray oriental Inscriptiones Arabicae Aethiopiae 1 Bulletin d etudes orientales LXVII 59 96 doi 10 4000 beo 7202 Loiseau Julien Dorso Simon Gleize Yves Ollivier David Ayenachew Deresse Berhe Hiluf Chekroun Amelie Hirsch Bertrand 2021 Bilet and the wider world new insights into the archaeology of Islam in Tigray Antiquity 1 22 doi 10 15184 aqy 2020 163 David W Phillipson Ancient Churches of Ethiopia New Haven Yale University Press 2009 p 49 a b Local History in Ethiopia The Nordic Africa Institute website accessed 10 January 2008 a b Consociazione turistica Italiana Guida dell Africa orientale Italiana Milano p 301 Gebru Tareke Ethiopia Power and protest Lawrenceville Red Sea Press 1996 pp 108ff CSA 2005 National Statistics Table B 4 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Qwiha amp oldid 1173983568, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
