Great Zimbabwe – The facts, the folklore, the legend

Great Zimbabwe – The Zimbabwe Ruins

Zimbabwe, big homes of stone

There are still conflicting ideas in the archeological world as to the exact origins of these massive ruins, a huge fortress type structure built without mortar. Despite exploitation, war, famine & corruption perhaps Africa is entitled to hold on to some of her secrets?

The origin of the ruins, and perhaps the whole truth will be known in time to come. Mysteries, however, do have their own attraction, as well as a beauty and magnetism of their own.

Legend & Folklore of Great Zimbabwe

The site was built to entertain ancients giants of bygone times. Given the scale of the walls, the intricacy of the structures, it is not difficult to see how people might have thought this.

The buildings are the palace/a replica of the palace of the Queen of Sheba. This is one of many Biblical references around the site. Coming across this site in wild Africa, the building must have seemed out of this world in size and decoration. While ancestors of the Shona people are believed to have built Great Zimbabwe, the Lemba Tribe claims it was built by their ancestors. This is interesting because there is DNA proof linking the Lemba people to the Israelites.

King Solomon’s gold was mined or sourced near this site. This could not be true if the current dates are correct, but dates have been proven wrong before. The Phoenicians are believed to have sailed right around Africa by around 600BC trading for the Egyptians.

The Ark of the Covenant was brought to Zimbabwe by the Lemba tribe. The Lemba tribe who claim that their ancestors build Great Zimbabwe also claim that they brought the Ark Of the Covenant to Zimbabwe & that they still have a replica made from material from the Ark. They call it Ngoma Lungundu, which means ‘the drum of the ancestors’, & the artifact has been on display at Harare’s Museum of Human Science in 2010.

The site is sacred. The Zimbabwe birds are believed to indicate a Royal presence, & ceremonies have been held here for many years. Rainmaking ceremonies continue to be held on the site right through to the present.

Artifacts of Great Zimbabwe

So much was taken by so many over the years that it is surprising that anything is left at all. Arabic pottery & Chinese glass found on the site tell us that these things were valued by the people of Great Zimbabwe. They traded internationally with their ivory & their gold. A 14th Century coin made of copper & minted at Kilwa in Tanzania was also found, suggesting that the people were sophisticated & in touch with the rest of the world.

The most well know of all artifacts from the site must be the Zimbabwe birds. There were 8 of them, part bird, part human, carved in soapstone.

This drawing is courtesy of Mangwanani, a Wiki author, who has put this work in the public domain.

Facts about Great Zimbabwe

The site covers around 800 ha. There are three main groups, namely the Hill, Valley & the Great Enclosure.

There are hundreds of such sites in southern Africa, Great Zimbabwe is notable because of its size.

The structures are built mortar-free from bricks of granitic sand & clay

Discussion

There is little doubt that this area was settled by cattle farmers around 350AD, & that as the population & opportunities expanded, cattle & other resources were traded domestically & internationally.

This site has been pillaged & stripped by almost everyone who has come into contact with it, including present-day tourists. The imposing dry stone walls still stand proud & retain the mystery of the ages. Latest evidence almost unanimously suggests the ruins are of African origin & from the medieval era. Built over centuries, the builders seem to have come into their own 1100AD-1400AD. By this time the people were prosperous, and their buildings reflect this. The Great Enclosure built around 1300AD features square entrances, conical towers & embellishments that are not found in the earlier structures.

The first confirmed European arrival at the Great Zimbabwe Ruins was in about 1868, investigations into the site started in 1871. There are still some conflicting ideas with the archeological world as to the exact origins of these massive ruins, a huge fortress type structure built without mortar.

Great Zimbabwe is one of many such ruins in the country, and there are others in neighbouring countries. The ruins or remains of these other structures or “zimbabwes” are similar in that they were also built without mortar, the main difference being they are much smaller than the apt named “Great” Zimbabwe.

The origin of the ruins, and perhaps the whole truth will be known in time to come. Mysteries, however, do have their own attraction, as well as a beauty and magnetism of their own.

Proclaimed a National Monument in 1937, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1986.

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