A number of rock-hewn churches have been reported near this town which include: Debre Zakarios Giyorgis and Cherqos, a collapsed one at Dengelat, Guwahigot Yesus and Yohannes.[3]
The contemporary church of Maryam Techot in this town is located on the top of a stepped Aksumite platform about 2 meters high and with dressed-stone corner blocks. A monolithic pillar and other carved fragments in the area may have been salvaged from the Aksumite structure which originally stood on this platform.[4]
History
Records at the Nordic Africa Institute website provide details of the primary school in 1968.[3]
Idaga Hamus sheltered a significant number of refugees during the Eritrean-Ethiopian War of 1998-2000.[5]
During the 2020-2021 Tigray War, attacks were carried out on Idaga Hamus by the joint Ethiopian and Eritrean armies. On 18 December 2020, an EEPA report stated that 37 civilians were killed by Eritrean troops in Mariam Dengelat. This follows further reports of Ethiopian ENDF soldiers shooting at unarmed civilians.[6] On 19 December 2020, killings occurred in Idaga Hamus. Eritrean soldiers killed approximately 150 civilians, including a priest and women seeking refuge in a church, located 4 km to the west of Marieam Dengelat. The town and some rural villages (Maimegelta, Dengelat, Tsa'a and Hangoda) are under the control of Eritrean forces. The military is slaughtering the animals. People are starving to death.[7]
Demographics
Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Idaga Hamus has an estimated total population of 8,474 of whom 3,962 are men and 4,512 are women.[8] The 1994 census reported it had a total population of 4,883 of whom 2,110 were males and 2,773 were females. Together with Freweyni, it is one larger settlements in Saesi Tsaedaembaworeda.
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