The study reveals that much of the ivory circulating in the southern Levant between 1600 and 600 BCE originated not from Egypt, as previously believed, but from regions linked to present-day Ethiopia and Sudan.

Published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, the study by Dr. Harel Shochat of the University of Haifa examined 624 ivory artifacts unearthed in the southern Levant — an area that includes parts of modern-day Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Lebanon. Using advanced isotopic analysis, researchers determined that approximately 85% of the ivory came from African elephants in the Upper Nile region, near the sixth cataract south of Khartoum — a corridor historically connected to Ethiopia through ancient trade routes and cultural ties.

For decades, Egypt was assumed to be the primary conduit for ivory into the Mediterranean world. However, these new findings suggest that suppliers from Nubia and regions associated with Ethiopia played a far more significant role in sustaining trade networks, particularly during periods when Egypt’s political power was in flux.

“This discovery rewrites our understanding of ancient trade dynamics,” said Dr. Shochat. “Rather than being a passive periphery, regions in and around Ethiopia were active and strategic players in long-distance exchange.”

The findings reinforce what Ethiopian historians and archaeologists have long argued: that the Horn of Africa was far from isolated in antiquity. Instead, it was a critical node in early global commerce, exporting not only ivory, but also incense, gold, spices, and other luxury goods to the Mediterranean, Arabia, and beyond. The study adds to a growing body of research calling for greater attention to the economic and cultural influence of ancient Ethiopia, including kingdoms such as Punt, D’mt, and later, Aksum, which connected sub-Saharan Africa with the Red Sea and Indian Ocean trade networks.

Scholars now urge further archaeological investigation into Ethiopian trade routes, production centers, and port cities — such as Adulis — which may have served as key export points for ivory and other commodities destined for the Levant and the wider ancient world.

“Understanding Ethiopia’s role in the ivory trade opens the door to rethinking its broader impact on ancient economic systems,” said an Ethiopian antiquities expert not involved in the study. “It’s time we gave this region its due place in global history.”

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New Study Reveals Ethiopia's Key Role in Ancient Ivory Trade