Gedi ruins a possible somali colony?

[Midas]

This is something I've been wondering about after I found about sofala and thought to myself it sounded very much like a somali word and then it turned out it was a colony establishes by somalis in Mozambique. Everybody hear i think knows about how somalis were heavily involved with the swahili towns fighting and trading with them. The gedi ruins are an abandoned swahili stone town and the only people who live in the area are apparently Mijikenda people. This town is apparently also really old 11/12th century. They seem to have no clue who actually inhabited it. But it seems obvious to me the name is gedi is a somali one and a very traditional one at that. Why has nobody made this obvious connection and does anybody know more about this? @Shimbiris @NidarNidar @Emir of Zayla @The alchemist

 

[Emir of Zayla]

It’s checks out to me, Gedi is literally a Somali word, the inhabitants who built the town were Muslims and built mosques there, and they built walls to keep out outsiders (most likely neighboring Bantus). When the British first came to Kenya the local Bantus who lived near the ruins told them they had not built it but they viewed it as a scared spiritual place.

Ruins of Gedi - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[daljirkadahsoon]

This is something I've been wondering about after I found about sofala and thought to myself it sounded very much like a somali word and then it turned out it was a colony establishes by somalis in Mozambique. Everybody hear i think knows about how somalis were heavily involved with the swahili towns fighting and trading with them. The gedi ruins are an abandoned swahili stone town and the only people who live in the area are apparently Mijikenda people. This town is apparently also really old 11/12th century. They seem to have no clue who actually inhabited it. But it seems obvious to me the name is gedi is a somali one and a very traditional one at that. Why has nobody made this obvious connection and does anybody know more about this? @Shimbiris @NidarNidar @Emir of Zayla @The alchemist

And guess what? There is apparently IIRC a Mijikenda-Somali connection.

DNA test coming out as Cushitic like with the earliest Swahili remains would be the icing on the cake

 

[Step a side]

It’s checks out to me, Gedi is literally a Somali word, the inhabitants who built the town were Muslims and built mosques there, and they built walls to keep out outsiders (most likely neighboring Bantus). When the British first came to Kenya the local Bantus who lived near the ruins told them they had not built it but they viewed it as a scared spiritual place.

Ruins of Gedi - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Seems like another Swahili settlement to be honest which is locals (Bantu or Cushitic) mixed with Persian-Arab families. Literally the same architectural structures we see dotted from Old Xamar down to the Mozambique Channel including the Islands like Comoros, Zanzibar etc

 

[Emir of Zayla]

Seems like another Swahili settlement to be honest which is locals (Bantu or Cushitic) mixed with Persian-Arab families. Literally the same architectural structures we see dotted from Old Xamar down to the Mozambique Channel including the Islands like Comoros, Zanzibar etc

I don’t see any resemblances to Old Xamar, though of course they would share similar architectural styles to their Swahili neighbors that goes without saying. Also don’t presume they’re mixed with Persian/Arab unless you have evidence for such.

 

[Step a side]

I don’t see any resemblances to Old Xamar, though of course they would share similar architectural styles to their Swahili neighbors that goes without saying. Also don’t presume they’re mixed with Persian/Arab unless you have evidence for such.

The single largest and most detailed genetic study on the Swahili coast was conducted last year. They tested over 80 ancient remains across 8 coastal towns on the African main land and islands. They all had one thing in common which is Persian-Arab (Omani) admixture amongst the samples.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05754-w

 

[The alchemist]

The single largest and most detailed genetic study on the Swahili coast was conducted last year. They tested over 80 ancient remains across 8 coastal towns on the African main land and islands. They all had one thing in common which is Persian-Arab (Omani) admixture amongst the samples.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05754-w

Well, one sample had Cushitic ancestry which was curious. I don't know how it ended up there though. It points to some level of cosmopolitanism, the region probably sourced some migrants from inland at some frequency.

 

[Riftvalley]

Colony is perhaps the wrong word. Somalis were found to be part of the ruling councils of Siyu and were often called upon by various Swahili graphics as allies in places like Lamu. I wouldn’t be surprised if some Somali sheikhs or traders were living in Gedi.

The area was said to be full of ghosts though Somalis might have avoided it

 

[Emir of Zayla]

The single largest and most detailed genetic study on the Swahili coast was conducted last year. They tested over 80 ancient remains across 8 coastal towns on the African main land and islands. They all had one thing in common which is Persian-Arab (Omani) admixture amongst the samples.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05754-w

I’m talking about the town of Gedi specifically not the Swahili coast

 

[Step a side]

I’m talking about the town of Gedi specifically not the Swahili coast

Brother, Gedi is on the Swahili coast.

 

[Emir of Zayla]

Brother, Gedi is on the Swahili coast.

View attachment 331163

My bad, I should’ve clarified, I meant to say “the rest of the Swahili coast”. Anyways do you have any genetic reports on the burials of people who lived in Gedi.

 

[Step a side]

My bad, I should’ve clarified, I meant to say “the rest of the Swahili coast”. Anyways do you have any genetic reports on the burials of people who lived in Gedi.

No brother but if I find it I will share it with you.