Dire Dawa

The country around Dire Dawa lies between the Somali plateau and the lower lands of the Rift Valley. Nearby stood Harlaa, a medieval settlement whose stone buildings and workshops bear witness to a thriving centre of manufacture and exchange. Glass, glazed pottery and coins reached it from Egypt, while worked marine shell and other goods passed through its trading networks. Routes connected Harlaa with inland Ethiopia and the port of Zeila.