Ras Hafun (Somali: Ras Xaafuun, Arabic: رأس حـافـون, Italian: Capo Hafun), also known as Cape Hafun, is a promontory in the northeastern Bari region of Somalia. Jutting out into the Guardafui Channel, it constitutes the easternmost point in Africa. The area is situated near the Cape Guardafui headland. It is joined to the mainland at the town of Foar, by a sand spit 20.0 km (12.4 mi) long, 1.0–3.0 km (0.62–1.86 mi) in width, and 5.0 m (16.4 ft) above sea level. The fishing town of Hafun is located on the promontory, 2.0 km (1.2 mi) east of the sand spit.
Ras Hafun is home to numerous ancient structures and ruins. The peninsula is believed to be the location of the old trade emporium of Opone. The latter is mentioned in the anonymous Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, written in the first century CE. Opone is described therein as a busy port city, strategically located on the trade route that spanned the length of the Indian Ocean's rim. Merchants from as far afield as Indonesia and Malaysia passed through the settlement. As early as 50 CE, the area was well known as a center for the cinnamon trade, along with the barter of cloves and other spices, ivory, exotic animal skins and incense.
In the 1970s, a Somali-British archaeological expedition in Hafun and other parts of northern Somalia, led by Neville Chittick, recovered numerous examples of historical artefacts and structures, including ancient coins, Romanpottery, drystone buildings, cairns, masjids, walled enclosures, standing stones and platform monuments. Many of the finds were of pre-Islamic origin and associated with city-states and trading centers described in ancient documents. The Damo site, in particular, was suggested by Chittick to correspond with the Periplus' "Market and Cape of Spices". Some of the smaller artefacts that the company found were subsequently deposited for preservation at the British National Museum.[1]
Archaeological excavations at the western Hafun site have yielded ceramics from ancient kingdoms in the Nile Valley, Near East, Persia and Mesopotamia, as well as some sherds of possible derivation from the Indian subcontinent. Among this ware is a late Ptolemaic lamp fragment, Parthian glazed sherds, and Hellenisticlagynos wares. Smith and Wright have dated the finds to sometime between the 1st century BCE and the early first century CE.[3] Additionally, some ceramics affiliated with green glazed ware from Sohar on the Omani littoral have also been found in the area. These pieces have been dated to between the 1st century BC and the 5th century BCE.[4]
Hafun is also home to an ancient necropolis. Similar historical structured areas exist in various other parts of the country.[5]
During the pre-independence period, Hafun was governed by the Majeerteen Sultanate (Migiurtinia) and was the seat of the polity's capital, Alula. It later formed a part of Italian Somaliland, when the area was known as Dante.
In November 2020, Hafun was struck directly by Cyclone Gati as a Category 2 equivalent cyclone or a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm in Indian Ocean scale with windspeeds of 165 kmph and 140 kmph. This remains the strongest cyclone to hit the Horn of Africa and the nation of Somalia since reliable records began.
^Chittick, Neville (1975). An Archaeological Reconnaissance of the Horn: The British-Somali Expedition. pp. 117–133.
^Paul J. J. Sinclair, "Archaeology in Eastern Africa: An Overview of Current Chronological Issues", Journal of African History, 32 (1991), p. 181
^Julian Reade (ed.) (2013). Indian Ocean In Antiquity. Routledge. p. 449. ISBN978-1136155314. Retrieved 15 November 2014. {{cite book}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
^Bassey Andah, Alex Okpoko, Thurstan Shaw, Paul Sinclair (ed.) (2014). The Archaeology of Africa: Food, Metals and Towns. Routledge. p. 419. ISBN978-1134679423. Retrieved 15 November 2014. {{cite book}}: |last1= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^National Review (1965). Somalia Calling the World. p. 25.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hafun.
Ras Hafun, Somalia - geodata
January 07, 2023
hafun, somali, xaafuun, arabic, رأس, حـافـون, italian, capo, hafun, also, known, cape, hafun, promontory, northeastern, bari, region, somalia, jutting, into, guardafui, channel, constitutes, easternmost, point, africa, area, situated, near, cape, guardafui, he. Ras Hafun Somali Ras Xaafuun Arabic رأس حـافـون Italian Capo Hafun also known as Cape Hafun is a promontory in the northeastern Bari region of Somalia Jutting out into the Guardafui Channel it constitutes the easternmost point in Africa The area is situated near the Cape Guardafui headland It is joined to the mainland at the town of Foar by a sand spit 20 0 km 12 4 mi long 1 0 3 0 km 0 62 1 86 mi in width and 5 0 m 16 4 ft above sea level The fishing town of Hafun is located on the promontory 2 0 km 1 2 mi east of the sand spit Ras Hafun Capo HafunCape HafunHafun juts out to the east of the mid Bari regionRas HafunCoordinates 10 25 0 N 51 16 0 E 10 41667 N 51 26667 E 10 41667 51 26667 Coordinates 10 25 0 N 51 16 0 E 10 41667 N 51 26667 E 10 41667 51 26667LocationHorn of AfricaArea Total2 571 km2 993 sq mi Dimensions Length1 100 m 3 600 ft Ras Hafun and its line of latitude separate the Guardafui Channel to its north from the Somali Sea to its south Contents 1 History 1 1 Antiquity and Middle Ages 1 2 Early modern and present 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditAntiquity and Middle Ages Edit Main article Opone 17th century Masjid in Hafun Ras Hafun is home to numerous ancient structures and ruins The peninsula is believed to be the location of the old trade emporium of Opone The latter is mentioned in the anonymous Periplus of the Erythraean Sea written in the first century CE Opone is described therein as a busy port city strategically located on the trade route that spanned the length of the Indian Ocean s rim Merchants from as far afield as Indonesia and Malaysia passed through the settlement As early as 50 CE the area was well known as a center for the cinnamon trade along with the barter of cloves and other spices ivory exotic animal skins and incense In the 1970s a Somali British archaeological expedition in Hafun and other parts of northern Somalia led by Neville Chittick recovered numerous examples of historical artefacts and structures including ancient coins Roman pottery drystone buildings cairns masjids walled enclosures standing stones and platform monuments Many of the finds were of pre Islamic origin and associated with city states and trading centers described in ancient documents The Damo site in particular was suggested by Chittick to correspond with the Periplus Market and Cape of Spices Some of the smaller artefacts that the company found were subsequently deposited for preservation at the British National Museum 1 A later expedition in Hafun led by an archaeological team with the University of Michigan excavated Ancient Egyptian Roman and Persian Gulf pottery In the 1980s the British Institute in Eastern Africa also recovered pre Islamic Partho Sassanid ceramics from the peninsula which were dated to the first century BCE and the second through fifth centuries CE 2 Archaeological excavations at the western Hafun site have yielded ceramics from ancient kingdoms in the Nile Valley Near East Persia and Mesopotamia as well as some sherds of possible derivation from the Indian subcontinent Among this ware is a late Ptolemaic lamp fragment Parthian glazed sherds and Hellenistic lagynos wares Smith and Wright have dated the finds to sometime between the 1st century BCE and the early first century CE 3 Additionally some ceramics affiliated with green glazed ware from Sohar on the Omani littoral have also been found in the area These pieces have been dated to between the 1st century BC and the 5th century BCE 4 Hafun is also home to an ancient necropolis Similar historical structured areas exist in various other parts of the country 5 Early modern and present Edit Further information Majeerteen Sultanate One of the forts of the Majeerteen Sultanate Migiurtinia in Hafun During the pre independence period Hafun was governed by the Majeerteen Sultanate Migiurtinia and was the seat of the polity s capital Alula It later formed a part of Italian Somaliland when the area was known as Dante In December 2004 Hafun was struck by a tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake It was the most affected area on the continent and the only location west of the Indian subcontinent where the waves pulled away from the shore before rushing in In November 2020 Hafun was struck directly by Cyclone Gati as a Category 2 equivalent cyclone or a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm in Indian Ocean scale with windspeeds of 165 kmph and 140 kmph This remains the strongest cyclone to hit the Horn of Africa and the nation of Somalia since reliable records began See also EditHafun District Hafun Salt Factory Puntland Ras Bar Balla Ras Feeluk SS JeddahReferences Edit Chittick Neville 1975 An Archaeological Reconnaissance of the Horn The British Somali Expedition pp 117 133 Paul J J Sinclair Archaeology in Eastern Africa An Overview of Current Chronological Issues Journal of African History 32 1991 p 181 Julian Reade ed 2013 Indian Ocean In Antiquity Routledge p 449 ISBN 978 1136155314 Retrieved 15 November 2014 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a last1 has generic name help Bassey Andah Alex Okpoko Thurstan Shaw Paul Sinclair ed 2014 The Archaeology of Africa Food Metals and Towns Routledge p 419 ISBN 978 1134679423 Retrieved 15 November 2014 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a last1 has generic name help CS1 maint multiple names authors list link National Review 1965 Somalia Calling the World p 25 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hafun Hafun News Agency About Archaeology entry on Opone Ras Hafun Somalia geodata Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ras Hafun amp oldid 1126482157, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
