Editing Zula

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{{Infobox settlement
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'''Zula''' is a small town in central [[Eritrea]]. It is situated near the head of Annesley Bay (also known as the [[Gulf of Zula]]), on the [[Red Sea]] coast. Four kilometers away is the archeological site of [[Adulis]], which was an [[emporium (antiquity)|emporium]] and the [[port]] of [[Axum]].

==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>

==Geography==
Zula is a village on the Red Sea in central Eritrea.<ref name=Mohammed/> It stands on the right bank of the [[Aligede River]], on a narrow coastal plain on the west side of the Gulf of Zula, some {{convert|80|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} to the east of [[Asmara]].<ref name=Atlas>{{cite book |title=Atlas of the World |last=Philip's |year=1994 |publisher=Reed International |isbn=0-540-05831-9 |page=108 }}</ref> The coast here is lined with mangroves, and there is an aircraft landing strip {{convert|5|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} to the north.<ref name=Naval>{{cite book|author=Naval|title=Western Arabia & The Red Sea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ffWAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA78-IA16 |year=2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-21002-0 |page=78}}</ref>

The original port of Adulis is now {{convert|4|km|mi|1|abbr=on}} inland, debris washed down from the mountains having accumulated along the coastline, extending it further out to sea.<ref name=Denison>{{cite book|author1=Edward Denison|author2=Edward Paice|title=Eritrea: The Bradt Travel Guide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qi-KQchGks8C&pg=PA176 |year=2007|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |isbn=978-1-84162-171-5 |page=176}}</ref> Napier built limited port facilities at Zula to enable his expedition; the remains of the railway tracks, laid by Napier's Expedition to haul his heavy equipment ashore, can still be seen.<ref name=Denison/><ref name=Laycock>{{cite book |last=Laycock |first=Stuart |title=All the Countries We've Ever Invaded: And the Few We Never Got Round T |publisher=The History Press |year=2012 |isbn=978-0752479699}}</ref> However, modern port services are handled at Massawa.<ref name=Mohammed/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Coord|15|15|N|39|40|E|region:ER_type:city|display=title}}

[[Category:Aksumite cities]]
[[Category:Populated places in Eritrea]]