Matara, Eritrea

Metera or መጠራ

is a small town and important archeological site located in the Debub Region of Eritrea. Situated a few kilometers south of Senafe, it was a major city in the Dʿmt and Medri Bahri kingdoms. The town has the oldest Example of Ge’ez, which is a pre-Aksumite Obelisk, Hawulti. Since Eritrean independence, the National Museum of Eritrea has petitioned the Ethiopian government to return artifacts removed from the site. However, the efforts have thus far been rebuffed.