The Taalo stones and stone cairn graves

[James Dahl]

http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/cgi/v ... =1#search=

The lack of scholarship about ancient Horn of Africa studies has failed to tie the obvious connection, that the Taalo stone circles have to do with pre-islamic burial practices. Luckily for everyone, there are still people who practice this, the southern Waaqafeena Oromo, Rendiile, Sidama and Elmolo all bury their dead in stone cairns and place Taalo stones nearby. These stones are marked with the accomplishments of the dead in life.

Weapons like swords for instance denote the grave of a warrior, and each weapon carved represents a foe defeated on the battlefield.

[udun]

I think James you are an archeologist. I was in Somalia between June and July and went to country side. What I saw was what I used to see as young herdsman. The Taalo is very common in Somali hills and mountains in the countryside and the former Somali Minister of Culture and Higher Learning during the MSB government have conducted Archeological studies and concluded that the same findings as the one shown in the link. Dr Hussein Salleebaan Mohamed and many others were the ones who conducted these studies in the 1980s.

[James Dahl]

You're right and it's a shame that more work hasn't been done. I am convinced Somalia has an archaeological history as old as ancient Egypt.

[Niya]

Taalo = monument in Somali.

In terms of "grave art" I find the Ghanian culture interesting in their representation of the deceased's coffin. Not only the warriors are 'glorified'.

[Estarix]

The country may have but not the people.