Bilin Settlement in the Bogos Highlands and Lowlands
Updated: Sep 7
Following the decline of the Zagwe dynasty in the 13th century, Cushitic speaking Bilin groups migrated into the Bogos (Senhit, Anseba), establishing key settlements such as Liban, Megarih, Chindiq, and Rora Bet Gabru.
Although the historical record of the Bilin people is still being pieced together, important insights have emerged from oral traditions, regional histories, and archaeological hints. While the Bilin are known today for their rich culture and resilience, their early roots trace back to post-Zagwe migrations and highland settlements.
The Origins and Traditions of the Bilin People
The Bilin trace their origins through three major familial branches: Bet Tarqe, Bet Tawqe, and Aserte Kilte Neged. According to Bilin oral traditions, the Bet Tarqe were among the earliest Agaw-speaking groups to arrive in the Bogos region, with traditions tracing their ancestral homeland to Lasta in Seqota.
The Bilin, also historically referred to as Bogos, are an ethno-linguistic group of Eritrea and one of the country’s nine recognized nationalities. They traditionally inhabit Senhit, extending from Halhal to Elabered, with Keren serving as an important historical and cultural centre. The Bilin language is a Central Cushitic language of the Agaw branch. Its development in the Bogos region appears to have involved interaction between incoming Agaw-speaking groups and earlier Cushitic-speaking populations, as well as communities speaking Tigrinya, Tigre, Beja, and Nara.
Bilin oral traditions describe two major waves of Agaw migration into the region. One tradition places an earlier migration around the 10th century, while another associates a later migration with the period following the decline of the Zagwe dynasty in the 13th century. According to these traditions, the two migrations became associated with the emergence of the two principal Bilin tribal divisions, Bet Tarqe and Bet Tawqe, respectively. Over time, other populations in the region also became incorporated into Bilin society.
Traditions of Bet Tarqe
The Bet Tarqe became concentrated around the Keren area and included several important clans and lineages, including Bet Gebru, Adi Zemat, Adi Hadembes, Sekwen (Sequneiti), Lemachelli, Adrba, and Bgeda. The Bet Tawqe, according to their traditions, spent an earlier period in Hamasien before migrating toward Halhal, where they eventually established themselves.
The movement of Agaw-speaking peoples into Eritrea was not limited to the ancestors of the modern Bilin. Other Agaw groups, including the Adkeme Melgae, are traditionally associated with migrations into the Eritrean highlands. Over time, some of these communities became incorporated into surrounding highland populations and gradually lost elements of their original language and cultural identity. Consequently, identifying all historical Agaw migrations within present-day Tigrinya-speaking communities is difficult, as many groups were eventually linguistically and culturally assimilated.
The principal Bilin divisions are traditionally identified as Bet Tarqe and Bet Tawqe, alongside other groups and lineages such as Jengeren and Bet Mussi. Within these larger divisions are numerous clans and subclans whose genealogies preserve traditions concerning their ancestral founders, migrations, and settlements.
Traditionally, many Bilin communities practiced pastoralism and livestock husbandry, maintaining substantial herds of cattle, goats, sheep, and other livestock. Over time, continued population movements and interaction with neighboring peoples, particularly Tigre-speaking communities, resulted in increasing contact and exchange between different ethnolinguistic groups surrounding the Bilin territories. These historical interactions contributed to the complex social, linguistic, and genealogical landscape of the Bogos region.
Traditions of Bet Tawqe
The Bet Tawqe preserve several traditions concerning their origins. One tradition identifies Dembiya, in the region of present-day Lake Tana in Ethiopia, as their ancestral homeland. According to this oral account, an ancestor named Meroni migrated northward toward Hamasien with his sons Chaluq, Faluq, and Maluq, from whom later lines of the Bet Tawqe are said to have developed.
A second, more biblical and ecclesiastical tradition connects the ancestry of the Bet Tawqe to the Solomonic tradition of Aksum. According to this account, they claim descent from King Solomon and Makeda, the Queen of Aksum who is identified in Ethiopian and Eritrean tradition with the biblical Queen of Sheba. This tradition places the ancestry of the group within the broader sacred history associated with Aksum, and particularly with the ancient Christian traditions surrounding the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion. These accounts should be understood as genealogical and sacred oral traditions rather than established historical genealogy, but they remain important for understanding how Bet Tawqe communities have narrated their ancestry and connection to Aksum.
Within traditional Bilin society, the early Agaw immigrants are described as having formed an aristocratic ruling stratum, sometimes referred to as the simager, while earlier populations incorporated into their political system became Mikeru/Gulfara, or subordinate/vassal groups. This social structure helped shape the political organization and clan relationships of the Bilin in Bogos.
"The Tarqe, also known as the Bogos, were among the prominent ruling families during the Zagwe dynasty. Following the rise of the Solomonic dynasty, Yekuno Amlak supported by the Muslims of Shewa defeated the last Zagwe king, leading to the Tarqe's eventual migration from the highlands."
It took many years for the Tarqe sons to reach Chindiq (Elabered) as their first destination in Bogos until they multiplied in number and needed new lands. The six Tarqe brothers were: Bigedai, Lamachalli, Hada, Satifa, Hagos and Gabru. Hagos moved to south western Hamassien, where his descendants are today known as the Liban people. Satifa, went northwards and occupied the areas between Mansa and Betjuk. They failed to increase in number and became extinct. Gabru moved north west and occupied what is today known as the Bet Gabru Plateau (Rora Bet Gabru). Hada went deep into the Barka plains but later made a retreat because of the heat and malaria. The Hada were as many as all of the other four Tarqe brothers put together. Their contact with the Natab family of the Beni-Amer influenced their customs, including the habit of not milking cows which was considered as a sign of social prestige. Bigedai and Lamachalli "deceived" their brothers and remained at Chindiq. Both brothers occupied all areas between Chindiq and Magarih (Keren). As noted, the Hada family found the Barka plains very uncomfortable. They came back and invaded the territory of Lamachalli and Bigedai. Bloody battles followed in which the Hada emerged victorious over Bigedai and Lamachalli." The Hada, thus, settled on the lands of their subdued brethren. The lands of the extinct Satifa were taken over by the Saqueneiti group of Hada. It is claimed that before the arrival of the Blin, the Bogos. lands were inhabited by the Baria and other peoples known as Bellow and Kellow. The two last mentioned belonged to the Rom family of the Beja people. The Kellow went to Barka and the Bellow to the coastal areas of the Red Sea. The Baria people went to the Gash area which they still occupy.
Conclusion
The Bilin people continue to play an important role in Eritrea’s cultural and historical fabric. Known for their strong sense of identity, traditional values, and community life, they have preserved their heritage through oral traditions, social customs, and collective memory. Their contribution to the region’s diversity is not only seen in language and customs but also in the way they uphold unity and respect across generations. In understanding the Bilin, we gain insight into a people who embody continuity, resilience, and pride in their way of life.
Werner Munzinger Pascha An Orientalist and Ethnographer-Turned-Politician in the Ethiopian–Egyptian Borderlands Wolbert G.C. Smidt. Pg, 111.
Eritrea by Mussie Tesfagiorgis G. 2010. Pg, 174-175.
The Acts of Lalibäla (Gadla Lalibela)
Discovering Eritrea’s Past Select Documents from the Works of the Pioneers by Bairu Tafla and Eva Schmidt. Pg, 167-168
Comments