THE ADDISH ADDEY BRIDGE
At the summit of Lalibela's churches, on the path that runs alongside the two groups of monuments on one side and the old Addish Addey neighborhood on the other, a new stone bridge has just been erected. Its construction became necessary when one of the monumental trenches on the site was emptied, cutting off one of the accesses between the upper and lower parts of the city. The excavation of this trench is part of an archaeological and landscape program aimed at restoring the system of trenches formerly dug on the site to better understand their functions. These works were conducted under the supervision of an archaeological team, and the results will be detailed in an upcoming bulletin.
When this project began in 2020, CNRS provided for emergency conservation and enhancement works at the Lalibela site, both a stone cutter – Antoine Garric – and a heritage management specialist – Kidane Ayalew, a knowledgeable figure of the site. Based on criteria prepared by Kidane Ayalew, 19 artisans (stonecutters, masons, and carpenters) were selected by the local committee for the conservation of Lalibela's heritage. Antoine Garric took charge of training them, among other things, in the creation of stone structures, and together they undertook the construction of several bridges. Kidane Ayalew, on his part, organized the works and their logistics on the site, managed the teams, and ensured daily coordination with civil and religious authorities in Lalibela and Addis Ababa.
After two years of training programs, the team of artisans embarked on the construction of the Addish Addey Bridge, autonomously.
Constructed entirely of cut stones and rubble from Lalibela quarries, the new Addish Addey Bridge forms a self-supporting arch, embedded in the rock, spanning the trench with its bottom approximately 6 meters below. Elegant parapets secure the bridge while providing points of support for strollers who want to admire the view. The newly emptied trench, the bridge, and the completely restored surrounding tukuls blend seamlessly into the landscape of the site, restoring some of its splendor.
Moreover, the Addish Addey Bridge is the result of the work of about thirty artisans from the city, a team gradually formed as part of the Sustainable Lalibela project.
This autonomy was partly constrained by the deteriorating security conditions in Lalibela, preventing Antoine Garric and Kidane Ayalew from traveling to Lalibela for the construction of the Addish Addey Bridge. In August 2023, the outskirts of the city witnessed violent clashes between the Ethiopian army and the fanos, armed groups fighting in defense of the Amharas. Quickly placed under the control of the Ethiopian army, Lalibela has since been marked by strong tensions, weighing primarily on the local communities, up to the tragic events of November, which saw combat unfold in the heart of the city and in the immediate vicinity of the churches.
Since August 2023, the artisans have continued their work and completed the construction of the Addish Addey Bridge, with guidance provided over the phone by the team based at the French Center for Ethiopian Studies in Addis Ababa. Technical advice, validation of stages, financial and logistical support – all were accomplished over the phone. When they managed to gather a bit of internet connection, Ambachew Tegen and Sisay Mekoya, the supervisors of the artisans' team in Lalibela, reported on the work progress, sent photos, or requested plans and technical advice.
The Addish Addey Bridge is both the story of the local appropriation of a heritage and scientific cooperation project and the tale of resilience of a small group of Lalibela artisans.