Adulis was an ancient city located along the Red Sea in the Gulf of Zula, about 40 kilometers south of Massawa. Its ruins lie within the modern Eritrean city of Zula. Adulis was the emporium considered part of the D'mt and Aksumite empires. The location of Adulis can be included in the area known to the ancient Egyptians as the Land of the Gods . The Egyptians traded extensively with settlements and kingdoms on the Horn of Africa and based on archaeological finds, Adulis was regularly visited by Egyptian merchants.
The port was a transit point for ivory, slaves, and exotic animals from the interior of Africa. From Adulis they were shipped to Egyptian ports in return for luxury goods. After the establishment of the Ptolemaic Dynasty in Egypt (305 to 30 BC), the volume of trade between Adulis and Egyptian ports increased. Adulis is believed to have been part of the kingdom of D'mt at this time.
According to legend, the port was established by escaped Egyptian slaves. In reality, it was probably founded by local people from the Horn of Africa. One of the main exports of Adulis were war elephants and they were used by the Ptolemies in their many wars against the Seleucid dynasty - a dynasty which ruled over Syria and a large part of western Asia from 312 to 64 BC.
The Excavation of Adulis
The site was first excavated by British archaeologists who completed a survey of the site and found three large structures made from stone blocks, believed to have been a trio of temples. Another large building has since been identified by a German expedition as ‘the palace of Adulis'. Several other structures unearthed at the site, may have been public buildings and former private residences , although one of the stone ruins in the area surrounding the old port is thought to have been a mausoleum for the Adulis elite. Most of these ruins now consist only of low walls and foundations. Perhaps the best-known structure that remains at the port is that of a Byzantine style Christian Church.
The archaeological site is 40 miles (62 km) from the city of Massawa and 72 miles from Asmara, the capital of Eritrea. There is plenty of accommodation near Adulis in Massawa and buses travel to the site. It is also possible to hire a car to take you to the old port.
