Elaayo also known as Elayo or Elayum, is an ancient coastal town in the northern Sanaag

Sanaag

Sanaag is an administrative region in northern Somalia. Its capital city is Erigavo.Sanaag has a long coastline facing the Gulf of Aden to the north, and is bordered by the Somali regions of Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sool and Bari....

 region of Somalia

Somalia

Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...

.

History

An old city, Elaayo is home to numerous archaeological site

Archaeological site

An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...

s and historic buildings, similar to those found in Las Khorey

Las Khorey

Las Khorey is an ancient coastal city in the Sanaag region, a territory disputed by the Puntland and Somaliland administrative regions of Somalia. In July 2007, the district became part of the Maakhir autonomous region of Somalia...

, another coastal town in Sanaag. However, Elaayo is held to be a lot older than Las Khorey, as it is believed that the ancient Greeks

Greeks

The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....

 and Egyptians

Egyptians

Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...

 used to engage in trade at the city's highest point. Other ancient structures that can be seen in and around the city include burial cairn

Cairn

Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...

s (taalo), which are said to belong to earlier civilization

Civilization

Civilization is a sometimes controversial term that has been used in several related ways. Primarily, the term has been used to refer to the material and instrumental side of human cultures that are complex in terms of technology, science, and division of labor. Such civilizations are generally...

s.

Northern Somalia in general is home to numerous such archaeological sites, with similar edifices found at Haylaan

Haylaan

Haylaan, also known as Haylan, is an ancient town in the northern Sanaag region of Somalia.-Overview:An old settlement, Haylaan is the site of numerous ancient ruins and buildings, many of obscure origins. Northern Somalia in general is home to numerous such archaeological sites...

, Qa’ableh

Qa’ableh

Qa’ableh is a town in the northern Sanaag region of Somalia. It is the site of numerous archaeological structures and tombs.-Overview:Qa'ableh is located near the Haylaan historical ruins. An ancient city, it is home to numerous archaeological sites and structures, similar to those found in...

, Qombo'ul

Qombo'ul

-Overview:Qombo'ul lies approximately 40km east of Badhan, on the road to Bosaaso and west of the town of Mindigale.An old settlement, it is the site of quite a few ancient ruins, buildings and structures, many of obscure origins. Northern Somalia in general is home to numerous such archaeological...

 and Maydh

Maydh

Maydh is an ancient town in the Sanaag region of northern Somalia.Local control is disputed between Somaliland, a self-declared independent republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia, the autonomous Puntland region in northeastern Somalia, and HBM-SSC , a local...

. However, many of these old structures have yet to be properly explored, a process which would help shed further light on local history and facilitate their preservation for posterity.

Elaayo was also an early local hub of Islam

Islam

Islam . The most common are and .   : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...

, with the religion spreading through maritime enterprise with and immigration from the Near East

Near East

The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...

.

Tourism

The best period to visit Elaayo is between September and May, during the rain season since the heat in the summertime is generally unbearable for outsiders. On the outskirts of the city one can find rock mountains, grassland with wildlife

Wildlife

Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....

, and unique trees, which, in addition to the many archaeological sites, buildings and cairns, all combine to create a panoramic view.