Queen of Sheba may have truely died and buried in Nigeria, say Archaeologists

by Benson Agoha | History

She gave to King Solomon "an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon." - 2 Chronicles 9:9

Queen of Sheba's burial site in Ijebu Ode,
Ogun State, Nigeria. (Credit: via Nigeria Camera)

Queen Sheba ruled almost 3,000 years ago, and her Queendom spanned modern-day Ethiopia and Yemen and, like most leaders who did at the time, arrived in Jerusalem, with curiosity and several questions for King Solomon.

In addition to her curiosity, because she was rich, she came with vast quantities of gold to give to King Solomon.

In 2012, Briton Louise Schofield, an archaeologist and former British Museum curator, led a team of archaeologists who headed an excavation on the high Gheralta plateau in northern Ethiopia.

The team found a 20ft stone stele (or slab) carved with a sun and crescent moon which Schofield called the "calling card of the land of Sheba".

She said "I crawled beneath the stone – wary of a 9ft cobra I was warned lives here – and came face to face with an inscription in Sabaean, the language that the Queen of Sheba would have spoken."

And although local people still panned for gold in the river, they were unaware of the ancient mine, it's shaft buried some 4ft down in a hill above which vultures swoop and an ancient human skull embedded in the entrance shaft, which bears Sabaean chiselling.

Tests showed that the mine was extensive, with a proper shaft and tunnel big enough to walk along.  But its entrance was covered by huge rock boulders,which made it difficult to establish the precise size of the mine.

But if the find was shocking, what may even be more shocking is the confirmation that the wealthy Queen actually died, and was buried in Nigeria.

A report by Nigeria Camera said archaeologists have now confirmed that the remains of Queen Sheba has been hidden away at a site in the dense rain forests of south-western Nigeria.

70ft High Wall found around the burial site up to a
100 mile long. (Credit: via Nigeria Camera).

A team of British scientists may have rediscovered the centre of one of Africa’s greatest kingdoms – and the possible burial place of the legendary Queen of Sheba.

The team of British scientists may have rediscovered the centre of one of Africa’s greatest kingdoms – and the possible burial place of the legendary Queen of Sheba.

The team from Bournemouth University, working with archaeologist Dr Patrick Darling, have completed a preliminary survey of the left over wall and ditch measuring 70ft high in places and around 100 miles long.

For long, the site has been considered by locals as the burial ground of the biblical Queen of Sheba.

"This burial site is itself located within a large area which is surrounded by the ancient Eredo earthwork and is believed to be the wealthy Queen Sheba’s Lost Kingdom." Nigeria Camera said.

It was found in the small, sleepy village of Oke-Eiri, located on the outskirts of Ijebu Ode, in Ogun State. The villages "hosts this burial site of the ancient Queen, and has been the destination of local pilgrims for centuries who come to pay home to the sleeping legend."

Archaeologist Louise Schofield who led a team
that found the ancient mine in 2012. (Credit: The Guardian)

In Islamic tradition, she is commonly referred to, as Bilkis, Bilqis, Balqis or Balquis by the Arabs, who believe that she came from the city of Sheba, also called Mareb, in Yemen. Historical and archaeological studies revealed that there are many links between the Biblical queen and Bilikisu Sungbo of Ijebu land.

The Queen of Sheba is said to be associated with ivory, eunuchs and gold. Ivory and gold are known to be very abundant in Nigeria at the time, while eunuchs were present in ancient West African palaces.

A team of British scientists working with Patrick Darling Archaeologist at Bournemouth University, discovered the remains of an ancient kingdom deep in the Nigerian rain-forest.

Each year, thousands of pilgrims come to honour what they believe is the grave of the queen of Sheba. This is a spot bare of vegetation in the Nigerian rain-forest where tall trees have become entangled with canopy foliage, festooned with spider’s webs and falling leaves, creating a gloom that inhibits vegetation.

* by Benson Agoha (with contribution from Nigeria Camera and The Guardian).