Around Axum

Depending on who you believe, the Queen of Sheba's Swimming Pool, also known as Mai Shum, was either excavated 3,000 years ago or in the 15th century. Whilst it's unlikely that the Queen ever bathed here, there is evidence that the pool and the steps leading down to it were excavated in Axumite times (1st - 7th centuries AD). Whatever the truth, it's clearly been a watering hole for a considerable amount of time and is still much in use today. Similarly Dongar Palace is also called the Queen of Sheba's palace but was more likely to have been built in the 7th century. Most agricultural processes, including threshing, are still done by hand in Ethiopia.