This is a Google Earth image of the Dungur Palace ruins a short distance west of Axum. Though sometimes called the palace of the Queen of Sheba, its construction of dressed volcanic stone without mortar suggests occupancy by royal elites during about 650 A.D., much too recent than roughly 965 B.C. for the Queen of Sheba. Across the road to the south is a field with moderately small uncut vertical stelae. They likely commemorate lesser officials. Modern subsistence farmers do their work among those stones. The following photos are pieces of a panorama looking east-to-south-to west from the north side of the ruins.
We were there as the sun was setting. There were several of these Cinnamon-breasted Buntings repeatedly singing to the other buntings, announcing their territories while there was still light.
