Tiya is located in the Soddo Region of Ethiopia. It is best known for its archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site remarkable for its large stone pillars, many of which bear some form of decoration of which are engraved with enigmatic symbols, notably swords," mark a large, prehistoric burial complex Tiya is among the most important of the roughly 160 archaeological sites discovered so far in the region, The site contains 36 monuments, including 32 carved stelae covered with symbols, most of which are difficult to decipher. They are the remains of an ancient Ethiopian culture whose age has not yet been precisely determined, but believed to have been erected between the 12^th and 14^th centuries and are almost certainly grave markers. Recent excavations at Tiya have revealed the remains of young people of both sexes, aged between 18 -30 and buried in fetal positions. Tiya archeological site was classified as a World Heritage Site in 1980.