Great Zimbabwe
One of
the most extraordinary man-made remains in Africa, Great Zimbabwe is
a mystical city built of granite stones and was thought to be built by the
ancestors of modern Zimbabweans.
Houses of stone
Zimbabwe, after which the country was named,
means ‘houses of stone’ in the Shona language. The ruins of Great Zimbabwe span
out over a 722 hectare area in south-eastern Zimbabwe. Construction began in
the 11th century and continued for over 300 years, making the ruins some of the
oldest and largest stone structures in southern Africa, which are today a UNESCO
World Heritage Site.
A city of trade
At its
peak, the city had approximately 25,000 inhabitants trading in cloth, beads and
ceramics from Arabia and China. And they traded for gold, ivory and copper via
traders from East Africa.. Chinese pottery shards, coins from Arabia, glass
beads and other non-local items were excavated there. By 1500, the site was
inexplicably abandoned. With no record of a written language behind, Great
Zimbabwe became one of the truly lost civilizations of the world.
Building construction - whodunnit?
Its
massive curving walls comprise millions of granite blocks which fit together
without mortar. The building method used only simple tools and technology, but
demanded a high level of masonry expertise. So, who built Great
Zimbabwe? This is the question that has hung over these mysterious
ruins ever since their discovery by German explorer, Karl Mauch in
1871.
There are
so many theories – each one linking their construction to a variety of ancient
peoples and civilisations. The list includes King Solomon, the Queen of Sheba,
the Phoenicians and Egyptians to name a few. Very sophisticated constructions,
that's why many 19th century colonialists believed that Africans were incapable
of building such an intricate set of structures. Or to organise such a complex
social system as a great city. The answer, according to the colonialists: a
lost ‘white tribe.’
This was
possibly the world’s only incident of architectural censorship. In reality, it
was an attempt to exploit the African land and stamp their colonial seal on the
territory. Because the Shona people built it, Great Zimbabwe became an
important symbol of achievement for black Africans. The famous soapstone bird
carvings in the ruins are now a national symbol. A newly independent Zimbabwe,
circa 1980, depicts them in its national flag.
Ancient ruins
The ruins
have three distinct areas. The Hill Complex on a long, steep-sided granite hill
served as a temple. The Valley Complex was where most people lived and the few
stone remains could have been entrances to houses. The Great Enclosure –
with its massive conical tower and parallel passage around it – is where the royal
family lived. You can walk around the whole complex. There’s also a museum and
a campsite/picnic area. The Great Zimbabwe Hotel is a short walk away from the
ruins.
Best time to visit
With a
pleasant year-round climate, blue skies and pleasant temperatures, there is no
bad time to visit Zimbabwe. That said, Great Zimbabwe is an outdoor attraction,
so avoid the rainy season (November-March).