Matara, Eritrea

Matara

Hawulti obelisk dedicated to Utu (Shamash)
Shown within Eritrea
Location	Debub Region, Eritrea
Region	Horn of Africa
Coordinates	14°40′29″N 39°25′29″E / 14.674722°N 39.424722°E / 14.674722; 39.424722
Type	Settlement
Part of	Dʿmt, Aksum
History
Founded	Approximately fifth millennium BC

Metera or መጠራ (𐩣𐩷𐩧) is a small town and important archeological site located in the Debub Region of Eritrea. Situated a few kilometers south of Senafe (ሰንዓፈ), it was a major city in the Dʿmt (𐩵𐩲𐩣𐩩) and Aksumite kingdoms. The town has the oldest Example of Ge’ez, which is a pre-Aksumite Obelisk, Hawulti (monument). Since Eritrean independence, the National Museum of Eritrea has petitioned the Ethiopian government to return artifacts removed from the site. However, the efforts have thus far been rebuffed.^[1]