Dahlak Archipelago
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Dahlak archipelago
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  Dahlak Archipelago Location of Dahlak Archipelago off the coast of Eritrea | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 15°50′N 40°12′E / 15.833°N 40.200°E |
| Adjacent to | Red Sea |
| Major islands | Dahlak Kebir, Dhuladhiya, Dissei, Dohul (Dehil), Erwa |
| Administration | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | c. 3,000 |
| Languages | Dahalik |
The Dahlak Archipelago is an Eritrean
pearl fisheries of the archipelago have been famous since Roman times and still produce a substantial number of pearls.[1]
Geography
Only four of the islands are permanently inhabited, of which
Dahlik, and maintain a traditional way of life including fishing and herding goats and camels. The islands can be reached by boat from Massawa and are popular with scuba divers and snorkellers.[2]
History
_p2.937_DHALAC_EL_KEBEER.jpg)
G.W.B. Huntingford has identified with the Dahlak archipelago a group of islands near Adulis called "Alalaiou" in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea which were a source of tortoise shell. According to Edward Ullendorff, the Dahlak islanders were amongst the first people in the Horn of Africa to embrace Islam, and a number of tombstones in Kufic script attest to this early connection.[2]
In the 7th century, the
sultanate of Adal waged a temporarily successful jihad with the help of cannons and guns from the Ottomans against the Ethiopian Empire. Sultan Ahmad joined the Adal Empire and was rewarded with the port town of Arkiko, which before the war had belonged to Medri Bahri. However, in 1541, one year after the death of sultan Ahmad, the Portuguese returned and destroyed Dahlak yet again. Sixteen years later, the islands were occupied by the Ottoman Empire again, who made them part of the Habesh Eyalet
.
The Italian colony of Eritrea, formed in 1890, included the archipelago. However, during this time the islands were home to little except the Nocra prison camp operated by the Italian colonial forces.[2]
After Ethiopia allied itself with the
EPLF) and by 1991 Ethiopia had lost control of all of Eritrea.[2] Following the international recognition of Eritrean independence in 1993, the Dahlak Archipelago became a part of Eritrea.[5]
Ecology
Some of the islands are fringed with mangroves and others with salt brush scrub. The coral reefs and shoals that surround the islands are rich in marine life, and many sea birds visit the area. Dolphins, dugongs, sharks, and turtles can be seen as well as a great variety of invertebrates.[2]
See also
- Sultanate of Dahlak
- Dahlak Marine National Park
- Dahalik languages
References
- ^ "Eritrea's Dahlak Archipelago Islands are so remote, there's almost no tourism". 2 June 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "The Dahlak Archipelago". Eritrea.be. Archived from the original on 30 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
- ^ "tombstone | British Museum". The British Museum. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- ^ "Ethiopia: The Armed Forces". Archived from the original on 24 December 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2006.
- ^ Harper, Mary (24 May 2016). "Eritrea celebrates 25 years of independence after war with Ethiopia". BBC News. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
External links
- Dahlak – Reef pearls of the Red Sea – Dahlak Islands informative site
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| Geographic | |
