Archaelogy and Historical Dynamics: the Case of Bieta Giyorgis (Aksum), Ethiopia

In this paper the author emphasises the contribution of the archaeological (material) record – integrated with historical (written) evidence – to more carefully reconstruct and model historical dynamics. He uses the evidence that the Istituto Universitario Orientale of Naples (Italy) and Boston University (USA) were collecting at Bieta Giyorgis, to the NW of Aksum (Northern Etiopia), as part of the joint IUO-BY Aksum Archaeological Project which was in progress since 1993 under the direction of Kathryn A. Bard (BU) and the author himself