Location

The church is carved at the foot of a magnificent south west facing cliff, halfway up the mountain, north of Ḥawzen Town. The white sandstone slag below the church is visible on approach and the site offers spectacular views across the Ḥawzen plain, toward the GärˁaltaMountain Range.

 

Church Description

(by Tarn Philipp)

Following countless failed attempts since 2015, Maryam Šǝwito was eventually visited in 2017. The church remains under excavation, but when complete, will be the largest new rock church in Tigray. The south façade boasts three entrances; one to the west and two to the east, set against white sandstone. A makeshift timber ladder gives access to the church by way of a narrow ledge, immediately in front of the church.

The church is rectangular in plan and 11m deep, almost 20m wide and over 5.5m high. Five enormous free-standing columns are arranged somewhat at random; two in the east and three in the west. Perhaps due to the sheer scale, or the fact that several craftsmen have worked at the site, the columns are noticeably slanted and differ from one another. Some are square while others are stepped to suggest a cruciform plan. Arches are sprung in most available positions although some flat beams are employed. Elaborately carved crosses are found on the ceiling, upper walls and column shafts and the charcoal used to mark out these details is still visible. Concrete has been used to form the base of some columns and to infill cracks in the wall and ceiling. A large piece of rock has fallen away from the arch in the north east bay and the west part of the church still houses a ‘mountain’ of slag.

The process of creating a rock-hewn church has generally been assumed as top-to-bottom excavation; the initial point of entry later forms an upper window as the craftsmen continue carving the church below. While the majority of newly identified sites employ this method, the opposite has also been recorded. At Maryam Šǝwito , having broken into the rock, the excavated slag forms a platform from which the craftsmen continue to carve overhead. On achieving the desired height and having completed any carved patterns to the ceiling, upper walls and column shafts, the slag is removed to expose the church in its entirety. This method prevents the craftsmen from viewing ongoing work in relation to what has been carved below and may explain the noticeably slanted columns at this church. Regrettably, a subsequent visit to the church has not yet been permitted. However, as of September 2018, work had stalled due to a lack of funds and the church remained incomplete.

 

Getting There

Maryam Šǝwito is a twenty-minute drive north of the roundabout in Ḥawzen Town. The road forks shortly before the mountain. Take the right turn toward Maryam Buzahan. A small track on the left (before the market town of Idega Arbi), leads to the built church of Maryam Šǝwito , which is visible from the road. The new rock church is a thirty-minute ascent from the built church.

Date(s) Visited: 03 April 2017

Co-ordinates: 14° 5’ 17’’ N, 39° 26’ 53’’ E

A Conversation with Ǝmmahoy Wälättä Gäbrəˀel

Quəddus Maryam Šǝwito
Ḥawzen, Tǝgray, Ethiopia
March 5 2015

A conversation with Ato Hagos Gabrakidani

Šǝwito
Ḥawzen, Tǝgray, Ethiopia
July 24 2016

A Conversation with Priest Mälaku Sälam Ḫaylu Tesfaye and Aba Gǝbre Sänbät

Qǝddus Maryam Šǝwito
Ḥawzen Region, Tǝgray, Ethiopia
April 3, 2017

A Conversation with Tesfaye Kaḥsay Ḥagos

Qǝddus Maryam Šǝwito
Ḥawzen Region, Tǝgray, Ethiopia
(filmed at the Vision Hotel, Ḥawzen)
April 4, 2017

(please note: caption language can be selected under the "Settings" section in the video player)

 

Images
(Please click to enlarge)
Architectural Drawings

(by Tarn Philipp)