Queen of Sheba’s Bath Aksum

Despite the colourful legends, this large reservoir probably wasn’t where Sheba came to bathe. It was an important reservoir rather than a swimming pool or gargantuan bath. Nobody is totally sure of its age, but it’s certainly been used as a water source for millennia. Its large size is even more impressive considering it’s hewn from solid rock. It’s also known as Mai Shum, which translates to ‘Chief’s Water’. It’s used for Timkat celebrations, just like Fasiladas’ Bath in Gonder. Sadly, the outer portion of the bowl was coated with concrete in the 1960s, making it look more like a modern trough than an ancient relic.