Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development

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Browsing Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development by Subject "Abreha and Atsbeha,"

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    A Study of the Conservation Status of Abreha and Atsbeha Rock-Hewn Church, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2020-06) Anenia, Gebremariam; Giorghis, Fasil (Associate Professor)
    In Ethiopia, there are more than one hundred forty rock hewn churches. Almost all rock cut churches have similar conservation problems. They all are deteriorating due to lack of regular care, maintenance and conservation. Abreha and Atsbeha is one of the rock hewn churches in Ethiopia, which is believed to be constructed in the fourth century AD-. It is a beautifully carved rock cut church that is found in Tigray Regional State in the northern part of Ethiopia. It is situated not far from Wukro town at the foot of the hill facing towards the Hawzen plain. The church stands out on three sides free from the parent rock from which it was carved and it is often described as a semi-monolithic rock cut church. The white double- arched portico at the front is a later construction covered with corrugated iron sheet. The exquisitely carved, decorated and painted rock cut architecture of Abreha and Atsbeha demonstrate the skills and knowledge of the Ethiopians in the past. Nevertheless, this historical rock-cut church is subject to natural and man-made threats; Structural defects; (vertical, horizontal and diagonal cracks,) black crusts, rock detachment, rock fracture, rock erosion, paint loss and fading deteriorations, as well as rain, wind, incense smoke, congregation activities, dusts, termite damage, improper installation of electric wires and curtains, vegetation invasion, absence of management plan and poor conservation practices are the major deteriorating factors of the rock hewn church and its wall paintings identified during the study. The research has identified and documented the structural and architectural parts of the rock hewn structure, including the mural and the cotton cloth wall paintings. The study also identified and analyzed the deterioration phenomena affecting the rock hewn church and its wall paintings as well as the conservation status of the rock-hewn church. The study draws on international and national conservation guidelines for monuments and wall painting, painting analyses, and graphic documentation. The results of the study are intended to be used for assessing the condition of both local and regional historical rock cut architecture and wall paintings.