Editing Zula (section)

==History==
The Eritrean Research Project Team composed of [[Eritreans|Eritrean]], [[Canadians|Canadian]], [[Americans|American]], [[Dutch people|Dutch]] and [[French people|French]] scientists discovered a Paleolithic site with stone and obsidian tools dated to over 125,000 years old south of [[Massawa]], along the Red Sea littoral. The tools are believed to have been used by early humans to harvest marine resources like [[clams]] and [[oysters]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://exn.ca/hominids/outofafrica.cfm | title=Out of Africa | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324185756/http://exn.ca/hominids/outofafrica.cfm | archive-date=2008-03-24}}</ref>

The local [[Saho people|Saho]] call this place "Ado Lay", meaning "clear water", however this is probably in reference to the nearby site of [[Adulis]], just situated 4 kilometers away from the town.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Saleh Mohammed |first1=Abdul Kader |title=The Saho of Eritrea Ethnic Identity and National Consciousness |date=2013 |pages=101 |url=https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Saho_of_Eritrea/jwjX_yVT7AoC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=saho+zula+ado+lay&pg=PA101&printsec=frontcover}}</ref>

In 1857, an agreement was entered into by the [[Dejazmach]] of [[Tigray Province|Tigray]], in revolt against [[Emperor of Ethiopia|Emperor]] [[Tewodros II of Ethiopia]], to cede Zula to the [[France|French]]. Agew Niguse was defeated by Emperor Tewodros, and the commander of a French cruiser sent to Annesley Bay in 1859 found the country in a state of anarchy. No further steps were taken by France to assert its sovereignty, and Zula with the neighbouring coast passed, nominally, to [[Egypt]] in 1866. Zula was the place where [[Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala|Robert Napier]]'s [[1868 Expedition to Abyssinia|British expedition of 1867 – 1868]] against Tewodros disembarked, Annesley Bay affording safe and ample anchorage for the largest ocean-going vessels. A road was built by the [[United Kingdom|British]] from Zula to [[Senafe]] in the [[Eritrean Highlands]].

The authority of Egypt having lapsed over Zula, an [[Italy|Italian]] [[protectorate]] was proclaimed in 1888, and in 1890 the town was incorporated into the colony of [[Eritrea]].<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=1|wstitle=Zula |volume=28|page=1049}}</ref> Along with [[Afta]] and [[Irafalo]], it remains an important trade center for the [[Saho people]].<ref name=Mohammed>{{cite book |last=Mohammed |first=Abdulkader Saleh |title=The Saho of Eritrea: Ethnic Identity and National Consciousness |publisher=Lit Verlag |year=2010 |isbn=978-3-643-90332-7 |page=107}}</ref>