Photographer Page

Nigel Pavitt

The prayer room in the Kilwa Great Mosque is built partly from coral stone. Begun in the 11th century, it is the oldest surviving mosque in East Africa.

A priest sits beneath the church bell outside the rock-hewn church of Maryam Korkor.

A young Ethiopian woman with distinctive hairstyle and jewellery.

Prayer sticks at Ura Kidane Mehret Monastery. They are used to support worshippers under their right arms while standing for long periods during church services.

An Ethiopian Orthodox monk climbs up to the ancient Monastery of Debre Damo, which can only be visited by men.

Many ancient rock-hewn churches are situated in the ruggedly beautiful red sandstone Gheralta Mountains.

Debre Damo, one of the most inaccessible centres of Christianity in Ethiopia.

A Coptic priest outside the huge wooden doors of the semi-monolithic 10th-century church of Abraha Atsbeha.

Two Tigrayan women walk along a narrow ledge towards the ancient rock-hewn church of Abba Daniel Korkor seemingly oblivious to the three-hundred-metre precipice to their right.

The domed ceiling at Mikael Milhayzenghi cave church, excavated from solid rock about the 8th century.