A joint international team excavating in the Aksumite heartland of Ethiopia has discovered two bronze bull masks with remains of gold leaf on the horns. The masks were found in a subterranean vault beneath a monumental plaza, accompanied by stone libation tables. Historians suggest these artifacts were the centerpiece of the 'Festival of the First Rain', a major Aksumite event where the bull symbolized the power of the monsoon and agricultural rebirth.
The placement of the masks suggests they were worn by high-ranking priests during processional dances that moved from the palace to the sacred agricultural fields. The intricate metalwork displays the high level of craftsmanship reached by the Aksumite Empire at its peak. This discovery offers a rare glimpse into the non-Christian religious traditions that flourished in the region alongside the empire's early adoption of Christianity, showing a continuity of seasonal agrarian rites.