With a menhir, ritual site and cave in Kimbibit District, North Shewa offers a tangible way to explore religious practice and history. The sites differ in form and use: Dhaga Dhaba Stele 2 is used for religious purposes, celebrations take place at Kawo Korma Tumulus, and Segale links a description of a cave with a historical event. For sites used for religious purposes, check in advance whether visiting and taking part are possible.
Menhir and Ritual Sites
Dhaga Dhaba Stele 2 is a rectangular menhir, 2.65 metres high, in Daga Daba Kebele in the Kimbibit District of North Shewa Zone. The stone was erected by the roadside; local people still use it for religious purposes. Its form and use offer two different perspectives on the same place: it is a clearly described stone monument and also part of religious practice. If you want to visit it specifically, check in advance whether a visit is possible and under what conditions.
Kawo Korma Tumulus is in Tuku Kora Kebele in Kimbibit District and serves local people as a ritual site. They hold celebrations there twice a year, in October and May, including the preparation of coffee. While the stele is notable for its continuing religious use, the tumulus is also associated with two specific months and a particular activity. If you want to plan your trip around a celebration, ask in advance about the date and whether you can take part.
Standing stones were also used as Adbar in Kimbibit District. At the time of the study, informants reported that ritual ceremonies and performances continued. This timeframe distinguishes the observation from the reports of the ongoing use of Dhaga Dhaba Stele and the twice-yearly celebrations at Kawo Korma Tumulus.
Segale: Cave and History
Segale Cave is in Segale Kebele in the Kimbibit District of North Shewa Zone. Its wide entrance leads into a single, also wide chamber that is two to three metres high. According to the description, this chamber is said to be able to accommodate more than 200 people. The description of the cave therefore centres on its large main chamber.
For orientation, the cave is given as approximately 26 kilometres from Sheno; its location is also described as 27 kilometres northwest of Sheno. These figures differ. Use them only as a rough guide and check a current route separately.
Segale is also associated with a clearly dated historical event: the Battle of Segale took place on 27 October 1916 in Segale Kebele in Kimbibit District. It was a civil war in Ethiopia between supporters of Empress-Regent Zewditu and Lij Iyasu, and ended in Zewditu’s victory. The cave and the battle both relate to Segale, but offer different ways to explore the place: one through its physical features, the other through the history of Ethiopia.
Planning Notes
A 2024 thesis gives a travel time of 20 minutes from Sheno to Ontu Cave Church via a paved road. Travel times and road conditions may change; check the route and travel time before setting out.
A 2024 report describes extensive damage to Ontu Cave Church and Segale Cave, as well as a decline in their economic and spiritual value. Before visiting, ask about their current condition and whether visits are possible.
Discover more destinations: Addis Ababa.
For the broader travel overview: Addis Ababa.
