Rock-Hewn Churches of Tigray, Ethiopia - 1973

 

 

After returning from the Danakil desert, I went hiking in the highlands of Tigray North of Mekele. This is a beautiful area that is well-known for its rock-hewn churches.

 

 

Landscapes of the Tigrayan highlands

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

People

 

Orthodox priest

 

Woman and girl a cross of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church tattooed on their foreheads

 

 

 

Market scenes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tigrayan farms

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparing and eating injera (Ethiopian bread)

 

 

 

 

Churches

 

 

 

Priests in front of their churches

 

 

Stone bells

 

 

Site of the rock-hewn church of Abune Yemata Guh in the Gheralta mountains

   

 

Painting showing nine of the apostles on the cupola of the church of Abune Yemata Guh

 

Another painting

 

An illustrated bible

 

Inside a rock-hewn church

 

Inside the church of Debre Selam

 

Group of men heading to a religious celebration

 

Meeting and drinking after the celebration