Other African Archaeologies of the Red Sea: The medieval city of Handoga (Djibouti)

The medieval history of the Horn of Africa has traditionally been analysed following

from the perspective of the confrontation between the Christian kingdom of

Abyssinia and the Muslim sultanates of the region from written sources, but the

archaeological evidence is mixed. While the Ethiopian kingdom has been extensively

studied, the sultanates have been much less so. Only in recent years have they

been the subject of archaeological projects. One such project is that of StateHorn,

which in 2021 began work in Djibouti, a country whose medieval period is virtually

unknown. This text presents the preliminary results of the first two campaigns at the Handoga

site. An overview will be given of its characteristics within the regional context

of trade routes. On the other hand, an analysis will be made of the development and

results of the campaigns carried out at the site.

Horn of Africa. Medieval. Muslim sultanates. Material culture. Excavation.