Da'amat

Dʿmt (South Arabian alphabet : ; Unvocalized Ge’ez : ደዐመተ, DʿMT theoretically vocalized as ዳዓማት, Daʿamat or ዳዕማት, Daʿəmat) was a kingdom located in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia (Tigray Region) that existed during the 10th to 5th centuries BC.

The capital of Da’amat was Yeha, which is in Northern Ethiopia and exists today. The oldest structure in Ethiopia, the temple of Yeha is also still located here. The Kingdom of Da’amat was very important because it made iron tools’, weapons and grew millet. It traded gold, silver, slaves, ivory and tortoise shells with South Arabian merchants. The Kingdom was able to do this because the location of its capital Yeha had good access to both the Red Sea and to Yemen in the East. Other cities that played a role in the Kingdom of Da’amat include Qohaito and Matara. In Qohaito there are old buildings such as the pre-Christian temple of Mariam Wakino and Sahira Dam. In fact both these cities, Qohaito and Matara thrived as a stop on the trade route between Adulis and Aksum during the Empire of Aksumite (100-940 AD).