Ethiopia is a country of ancient history and culture. Many historians and philosophers have expressed their fascination with Ethiopia. For example, Homer (Greek poet of the 8th century B.C) described Ethiopia as "The land of sun burned face" and its people as "the blameless race." Herodotus (Greek historian, 485-25 B.C) Praised Ethiopians as "the most just men." Ethiopia's rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela (11th century) and Axum obelisks (300 B. C) have been designated by United Nations Education and Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as World Heritage Sites. The Ethiopian writing script with its 26 alphabets is unique and ancient, is believed to have originated around 1500 B. C A combination of strong cultural and historical heritage has made Ethiopians among the most hard working and honest people in Africa.