 Agaw horsemen fromAwi | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Horn of Africa | |
 Ethiopia | 899,416 (2007)[1] |
 Eritrea | 100,000 (2012)[2] |
| Languages | |
| Agaw •Amharic •Tigrinya | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (Ethiopian Orthodox ·Eritrean Orthodox ·Catholic),Traditional religions,Judaism,Islam (Sunni) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
TheAgaw orAgew (Ge'ez:አገው,romanized: Agäw, modernAgew) are aCushiticethnic group native to the northern highlands ofEthiopia and neighboringEritrea.[4] They speak theAgaw languages, also known as theCentral Cushitic languages, which belong to theCushitic branch of theAfroasiatic language family,[5] and are therefore closely related to peoples speaking otherCushitic languages.
The Agaw peoples in general were historically noted by travelers and outside observers[6] to have practiced what some described as a “Hebraic religion”, though some also practicedEthiopian Orthodoxy,[7] and many wereBeta Israel Jews. Thousands of Agaw Beta Israel converted to Christianity in the 19th and early 20th century (both voluntarily and forcibly),[8] becoming theFalash Mura.
The Agaw are first mentioned in the third-centuryMonumentum Adulitanum, anAksumite inscription recorded byCosmas Indicopleustes in the sixth century. The inscription refers to a people called "Athagaus" (or Athagaous), perhaps from ʿAd Agaw, meaning "sons of Agaw."[9] The Athagaous first turn up as one of the peoples conquered by the unknown king who inscribed theMonumentum Adulitanum.[10] The Agaw are later mentioned in an inscription of the fourth centuryEzana of Axum, known as theEzana Stone. Here, they are referred to as "Atagaw," a name closely resembling the earlier mention.[9][11]
Cosmas Indicopleustes also noted in hisChristian Topography that a major gold trade route passed through the region "Agau". The area referred to seems to be an area west of theTekezé River and just south of theSemien Mountains, perhaps aroundLake Tana.[9] He also makes a reference to a "governor of Agau", who was entrusted by KingKaleb of Axum with the protection of the long-distance caravan routes from Agau. According toTaddesse Tamrat, Kaleb's governor of Agau probably has his seat of government in the area ofLasta, which would later serve as the center of theZagwe dynasty.[12]
The Cushitic speaking Agaw formed and ruled during theZagwe dynasty of Ethiopia from about 1137 to 1270. Post-contemporary sources would subsequently accuse the Zagwe of being usurpers and derided their achievements. The Zagwe rulers were deposed, and the throne was seized by a Semitic-speakingAmhara dynasty, which would claim to be a resumption of the Solomonic lineage of the pre-ZagweAxumite Kingdom. Despite this, the new monarchs granted the Zagwe rulers and their descendants the title ofWagshum, allowing them to govern their native regions ofWag andLasta.[13]
The Agaw speak theAgaw languages also known as theCentral Cushitic languages which are a part of theCushitic branch of theAfro-Asiatic family.[14] Many also speak other languages such asAmharic,Tigrinya and/orTigre. To varying degrees themorphology of modern day Agaw languages have also been influenced byAmharic,[15] and the difference between the varieties of Agaw tongues is greater than the diversity of theRomance languagesI In contrast the differentiation between Amharic speakers is negligible, which points to a recent spread ofEthio-Semitic languages through the Agew homeland.[16]
The Agaw consist of several different linguistic groups, residing in scattered communities across a wide geographical area spanning fromEritrea toGojjam. In their local traditions, they consistently point toLasta as their origin of dispersal.[17]
These scattered enclaves include theBilen in and aroundKeren, Eritrea; theQemant people (including the now-relocatedBeta Israel), who live aroundGondar in theNorth Gondar Zone of theAmhara Region, west of the Tekezé River and north of Lake Tana; a number of Agaw live south of Lake Tana, aroundDangila in theAgew Awi Zone of theAmhara Region; and another group live in and aroundSoqota in the former province ofWollo, now part of the Amhara Region, along withLasta,Tembien, andAbergele.
