a visit to great zimbabwe essay

Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History Essays

Great zimbabwe (11th–15th century).

Department of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas , The Metropolitan Museum of Art

October 2001

Stone Ruins The ruins of this complex of massive stone walls undulate across almost 1,800 acres of present-day southeastern Zimbabwe. Begun during the eleventh century A.D. by Bantu-speaking ancestors of the Shona, Great Zimbabwe was constructed and expanded for more than 300 years in a local style that eschewed rectilinearity for flowing curves. Neither the first nor the last of some 300 similar complexes located on the Zimbabwean plateau, Great Zimbabwe is set apart by the terrific scale of its structure. Its most formidable edifice, commonly referred to as the Great Enclosure, has walls as high as 36 feet extending approximately 820 feet, making it the largest ancient structure south of the Sahara Desert. In the 1800s, European travelers and English colonizers, stunned by Great Zimbabwe’s grandeur and its cunning workmanship, attributed the architecture to foreign powers. Such attributions were dismissed when archaeological investigations conducted during the first decades of the twentieth century confirmed both the antiquity of the site and its African origins.

Great Zimbabwe’s most enduring and impressive remains are its stone walls . These walls were constructed from granite blocks gathered from the exposed rock of the surrounding hills. Since this rock naturally splits into even slabs and can be broken into portable sizes, it provided a convenient and readily available building resource. All of Great Zimbabwe’s walls were fitted without the use of mortar by laying stones one on top of the other, each layer slightly more recessed than the last to produce a stabilizing inward slope. Early examples were coarsely fitted using rough blocks and incorporated features of the landscape such as boulders into the walls. The technique was refined over the years, and later walls were fitted together closely and evenly over long, serpentine courses to produce remarkably finished surfaces.

Great Zimbabwe’s Inhabitants Little is known about the Bantu-speaking people who built Great Zimbabwe or how their society was organized. The ruling elite appears to have controlled wealth through the management of cattle, which were the staple diet at Great Zimbabwe. At its height, Great Zimbabwe is estimated to have had a population greater than 10,000, although the majority lived at some distance from the large stone buildings. Only 200 to 300 members of the elite classes are thought to have lived within Great Zimbabwe’s massive edifices.

The enormous walls are the best-preserved testaments of Great Zimbabwe’s past and the largest example of an architectural type seen in archaeological sites throughout the region. The function of these stone walls, however, has often been misinterpreted. At first glance, these massive nonsupportive walls appear purely defensive. But scholars doubt they ever served a martial purpose and have argued instead that cattle and people were valued above land, which was in any event too abundant to be hoarded. The walls are thought to have been a symbolic show of authority, designed to preserve the privacy of royal families and set them apart from and above commoners. It is also important to note that the walls surrounded and later adjoined huts made of daga (mud and thatch), linked with them to form a series of courtyards. Daga was also used to form raised seats in particularly significant courtyards, and was painted to enrich its artistic effect. Since Great Zimbabwe’s daga elements have long since eroded, the remaining stone walls provide only partial evidence of the architecture’s original appearance.

Soapstone Birds In addition to architecture, Great Zimbabwe’s most famous works of art are the eight birds carved of soapstone that were found in its ruins. The birds surmount columns more than a yard tall and are themselves on average sixteen inches tall. The sculptures combine both human and avian elements, substituting human features like lips for a beak and five-toed feet for claws. Excavated at the turn of the century, it is known that six of the sculptures came from the Eastern Enclosure of the Hill complex, but unfortunately their precise arrangement can only be surmised. Scholars have suggested that the birds served as emblems of royal authority, perhaps representing the ancestors of Great Zimbabwe’s rulers. Although their precise significance is still unknown, these sculptures remain powerful symbols of rule in the modern era, adorning the flag of Zimbabwe as national emblems.

Department of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. “Great Zimbabwe (11th–15th Century).” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/zimb/hd_zimb.htm (October 2001)

Further Reading

Huffman, Thomas N. "The Soapstone Birds from Great Zimbabwe." African Arts 18, no. 3 (May 1985), pp. 68–73, 99–100.

McIntosh, Roderick J. "Riddle of Great Zimbabwe." Archaeology 51 (July–August 1998), pp. 44–49.

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Great Zimbabwe

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• United States History - Great Zimbabwe
• Ancient Origins - No Queen of Sheba Involved! Great Zimbabwe Ruins and Those Who Fought for the Truth
• World History Encyclopedia - Great Zimbabwe
• UNESCO World Heritage Centre - Great Zimbabwe National Monument
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Great Zimbabwe , extensive stone ruins of an African Iron Age city. It lies in southeastern Zimbabwe , about 19 miles (30 km) southeast of Masvingo (formerly Fort Victoria). The central area of ruins extends about 200 acres (80 hectares), making Great Zimbabwe the largest of more than 150 major stone ruins scattered across the countries of Zimbabwe and Mozambique .

It is estimated that the central ruins and surrounding valley supported a Shona population of 10,000 to 20,000. With an economy based on cattle husbandry, crop cultivation, and the trade of gold on the coast of the Indian Ocean , Great Zimbabwe was the heart of a thriving trading empire from the 11th to the 15th centuries. The word zimbabwe, the country’s namesake, is a Shona (Bantu) word meaning “stone houses.”

The site is generally divided into three main areas: the Hill Complex, the Great Enclosure , and the Valley Ruins. The first two are characterized by mortarless stone construction, but they also include ruined daga (earthen and mud-brick) structures that may once have rivaled the stone buildings in grandeur. The Valley Ruins, located between the Hill Complex and the Great Enclosure, include a large number of mounds that are remnants of daga buildings.

The Hill Complex, which was formerly called the Acropolis, is believed to have been the spiritual and religious centre of the city. It sits on a steep-sided hill that rises 262 feet (80 metres) above the ground, and its ruins extend some 328 feet (100 metres) by 148 feet (45 metres). It is the oldest part of the site; stratigraphic evidence shows that the first stones were laid there about the year 900. The builders incorporated natural granite boulders and rectangular blocks to form walls up to 20 feet (6 metres) thick and 36 feet (11 metres) high. Within the walls are the remains of daga houses.

South of the Hill Complex lies the Great Enclosure, the largest single ancient structure in sub-Saharan Africa. Its outer wall is some 820 feet (250 metres) in circumference, with a maximum height of 36 feet (11 metres). An inner wall runs along part of the outer wall forming a narrow parallel passage, 180 feet (55 metres) long, which leads to the Conical Tower. The purpose of the tower, 33 feet (10 metres) high and 16 feet (5 metres) in diameter , is unknown, but it may have been a symbolic grain bin or a phallus symbol.

Great Zimbabwe was largely abandoned during the 15th century. With the city’s decline, its stoneworking and pottery-making techniques seem to have transferred southward to Khami (now also in ruins). Portuguese explorers probably encountered the ruins in the 16th century, but it was not until the late 19th century that the existence of the ruins was confirmed, generating much archaeological research. European explorers who visited the site in the late 1800s believed it to be the legendary city of Ophir , the site of King Solomon ’s mines. Because of its stonework and further evidence of an advanced culture , the site was variously, and erroneously, attributed to ancient civilizations such as the Phoenician , Greek , or Egyptian . In 1905 the English archaeologist David Randall-MacIver concluded that the ruins were medieval and of exclusively African origin; his findings were confirmed by the English archaeologist Gertrude Caton-Thompson in 1929.

In the late 19th century numerous soapstone figurines in the form of a bird were found in the ruins; this Zimbabwe Bird later became a national symbol, incorporated into the Zimbabwe flag and shown in other places of high honour. Great Zimbabwe became a national monument and was designated a World Heritage site in 1986. Despite its historical importance and its nationalistic role, however, the site has received inadequate government funding for its preservation and scientific study.

ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Great zimbabwe.

Great Zimbabwe was a medieval African city known for its large circular wall and tower. It was part of a wealthy African trading empire that controlled much of the East African coast from the 11th to the 15th centuries C.E.

Geography, Human Geography, Social Studies, Ancient Civilizations, World History

Great Zimbabwe's Great Enclosure

Great Zimbabwe is the name for the stone remains of a medieval city in southeastern Africa. It is composed of three parts, including the Great Enclosure (shown here). It is believed to have been a royal residence or a symbolic grain storage facility.

Photograph by Christopher Scott

Great Zimbabwe is the name of the stone ruins of an ancient city near modern day Masvingo, Zimbabwe. People lived in Great Zimbabwe beginning around 1100 C.E. but abandoned it in the 15th century. The city was the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe, which was a Shona (Bantu) trading empire . Zimbabwe means “stone houses” in Shona. Great Zimbabwe was part of a large and wealthy global trading network. Archaeologists have found pottery from China and Persia, as well as Arab coins in the ruins there. The elite of the Zimbabwe Empire controlled trade up and down the east African coast. However, the city was largely abandoned by the 15th century as the Shona people migrated elsewhere. The exact reasons for the abandonment are unknown, but it is likely that exhaustion of resources and overpopulation were contributing factors. The archaeological site at Great Zimbabwe consists of several sections. The first section is the Hill Complex, a series of structural ruins that sit atop the steepest hill of the site. This is generally believed to have been the religious center of the site. The Hill Complex is the oldest part of Great Zimbabwe, and shows signs of construction that date to around 900 C.E. The ruins of the second section, the Great Enclosure, are perhaps the most exciting. The Great Enclosure is a walled, circular area below the Hill Complex dating to the 14th century. The walls are over 9.7 meters (32 feet) high in places, and the enclosure’s circumference is 250 meters (820 feet). The walls were built without mortar , relying on carefully shaped rocks to hold the wall’s shape on their own. Inside the enclosure is a second set of walls, following the same curve as the outside walls, which end in a stone tower 10 meters (33 feet) high. While the function of this enclosure is unknown, archeologists suggest it could have been a royal residence or a symbolic grain storage facility. It is one of the largest existing structures from ancient sub-Saharan Africa. The third section is the Valley Ruins. The Valley Ruins consist of a significant number of houses made mostly of mud-brick ( daga) near the Great Enclosure. The distribution and number of houses suggests that Great Zimbabwe boasted a large population, between 10,000–20,000 people. Archaeological research has unearthed several soapstone bird sculptures in the ruins. These birds are thought to have served a religious function, and may have been displayed on pedestals. These birds appear on the modern Zimbabwean flag and are national symbols of Zimbabwe. The ruins of Great Zimbabwe were designated a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in 1986. There have only been a limited number of archaeological excavations of the site. Unfortunately, significant looting and destruction occurred in the 20th century at the hands of European visitors. Although they were all too happy to explore and loot the ruins of Great Zimbabwe, in their racism, European colonists thought the city was too sophisticated to have been built by Africans, and instead thought it had been built by Phoenicians or other non-African people. However, despite the damage done by these colonial looters , today, the legacy of Great Zimbabwe lives on as one of the largest and most culturally important archaeological sites of its kind in Africa.

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Great Zimbabwe History Overview: The Ancient Mystery in Southern Africa Essay

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A Brief Characteristic of Great Zimbabwe

Who built great zimbabwe, the function of the complexes, the reason to leave great zimbabwe.

Great Zimbabwe is considered to be an enormous wrecked town that is encircled with the wall made of stones. The ancient mystery is situated in the southern Africa. The wall around the Great Zimbabwe was built then the complex itself and has differences in style and techniques (Sayre, 2015, p. 390). The ancient complex holds a lot of secrets proving that the modern mankind with all the technical progress still does not know the real power of ancient people.

According to the translation of the word, ‘Zimbabwe’ means home or grave (Grimbly, 2013, p. 50). The Great Zimbabwe was the capital of the ancient empire Shona. Farmers settled down in the territory of the Great Zimbabwe in the 900 A. D. as there were perfect conditions to grow crops and have cattle (Grimbly, 2013, p. 50). The territory appeared to be one of the most significant trading points (Sayre, 2015, p. 390). Scientists have already developed some theories that explain what kind of society lived there, how they managed to erect such an impressive construction without the equipment, and why the site is abandoned now. Great Zimbabwe contributes to the cultural and historical context by providing the necessary information concerning the ancient epoch and people who erected such an impressive construction and how the architectural preferences changed overtime.

The walls are solid as their height is almost twice as big as the width. Due to the specific shape of stones they are easily connected. The great majority of the enigmatic construction is built of granite (Tucker, 2010, p. 100). According to Credo Mutwa, Great Zimbabwe was created by the multicultural and globalized society that was ruled by powerful kings, usually referred as the Lords of the World (Tucker, 2010, p. 100).

According to Tudor Parfitt, a lot of African tribes are sure that their ancestors built Great Zimbabwe; however, the Lemba tribe is viewed as those who actually could build the massive construction (Moyo, 2015, p. 14). The scholars have found the evidence that support such theory. The Lemba were traders they could have been responsible for building Great Zimbabwe as the inhabitants of Great Zimbabwe were talented traders. The African civilization was powerful and consisted of thousands of tribes; Great Zimbabwe is seen as the heart of the ancient African tribes (Moyo, 2015, p. 14).

Political and religious beliefs of the ancient people influenced the way Great Zimbabwe was built. The building comprises three major parts, namely Hill Complex, the Valley Complex, and the Great Enclosure (Tucker, 2010, p. 101). The scientists cannot find a common sense concerning the purpose of the architectural complexes. According to one of the most widespread theory, such groupings were erected for different kings that took the power. However, there is also an idea that such complexes were built to satisfy the needs of the society, as the Hill Complex resembles a temple, the Valley is believed to be the residence for the citizens, and the Great Enclosure could serve the needs of the king. This theory is reasonable, as the ancient society was highly developed and had all the features of the progressive community.

The reasons for people to leave the massive complex are considered to be the following: the lack of water sources, climate changes, and political issues. All the stated above reasons seem to be relevant, as climate conditions and political situation within the society could influence people in a significant way and force them to leave the territory.

In conclusion, it should be stated that all the secrets of the ancient enigma probably will never be discovered. The mystery around the site seems to be difficult for understanding. It should be stressed, that ancient people had way more developed skills and abilities than modern people think they did, as Great Zimbabwe will keep its history unknown forever.

Grimbly, S. (2013). Encyclopedia of the ancient world . London, U.K.: Routledge.

Moyo, F. (2015). The Bible, the bullet, and the ballot: Zimbabwe: The impact of Christian protest in socio-political transformation, ca. 1900-ca. 2000 . Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications.

Sayre, H. (2015). The humanities: Culture, continuity & change (3d ed., vol. 1). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Tucker, L. (2010). Mystery of the white lions: Children of the sun god . Carlsbad, CA: Hay House.

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The Impact of Prejudice on the History of Great Zimbabwe

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Between 850 BCE and 1600 CE, great civilizations thrived in Africa , yet few non-Africans have learned about them. While some may be familiar with the achievements of ancient Egypt , most of our knowledge of African history is tainted by the legacy of colonialism, racism and prejudice. As Europeans engaged in the scramble for Africa between the 17th and 19th centuries CE, they established systems that disrupted the oral traditions that preserved Africa's history, and they created their own narratives that justified their occupation of Africa's lands and their enslavement of its people. To reinforce these narratives, some European historians and archaeologists ignored or manipulated the evidence of great African civilizations all around them. Their goal was to uncover proof of a lost white tribe whose time in Africa pre-dated the existence of black Africans, thus, establishing their rightful claim to the territories they were colonizing. The legacy of these endeavours is a series of stereotypes and misunderstandings about the continent and its people, including the erroneous belief that Africans have no history.

While great strides have been made to uncover the true history of Africa, the impact of colonial prejudice still lingers. Some of the clearest illustrations of this impact can be found when we examine the ruins of Great Zimbabwe , and the historians, archaeologists, explorers and colonialists who tried to deny its true history.

Today, the ruins of Great Zimbabwe are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an important symbol of the history of the modern nation of Zimbabwe. Located on a high plateau between the Limpopo River in the south and the Zambezi River in the north, the stone ruins include a palace , a cone-shaped tower and several circular enclosures. The original builders, the ancestors of the Shona people, carved the stone bricks so expertly that they did not need to use mortar. The ruins are largely intact, and they have been isolated from the modern-day threats of pollution and urbanization . The location still has spiritual significance for the Shona, and some of the ruins still play a role in religious ceremonies.

The True History of Great Zimbabwe

It is believed that Great Zimbabwe was originally the capital of a powerful and prosperous kingdom. The structures that make up the ruins were likely built between the 11th and 15th century CE by the Shona, a Bantu-speaking tribe that originally migrated to southern Africa in the 2nd century CE.

The kings of Great Zimbabwe controlled thousands of kilometres of territory, but they did not conquer their lands with a massive army. The king of Great Zimbabwe received his authority to govern from his special connection to the spirits of deceased rulers, who offered him guidance. This mystical link to the ancestors allowed him to exert spiritual control over the rulers of smaller settlements in the area.

The king was also responsible for providing food for his people. He owned thousands of cattle and likely oversaw the storage and distribution of surplus grain. Some scholars believe that Great Zimbabwe's famed conical tower was a symbolic grain storage bin, and, thus, a reminder of the king's role in the survival of the entire community.

During the dry season, Great Zimbabwe's farmers became gold miners, and this gold contributed greatly to the prosperity of the empire . Along with ivory, it was one of Great Zimbabwe's major trade items. Through the Swahili trading ports on Africa's east coast, Great Zimbabwe obtained goods from all over the world. A great deal of evidence found at the site helps to prove Great Zimbabwe's connection to this global trade network. Archaeologists have uncovered a 14th century CE Arab coin , some 13th century CE Persian pottery and both porcelain and glass beads from China 's Ming Dynasty .

Unfortunately, during the colonial period, much of the evidence of Great Zimbabwe's successful trade networks was manipulated to support theories that a Caucasian civilization had built the site. The presence of Arab coins and Persian pottery was used to attribute the site to Arab builders, not native Africans. Further twisting the true history of the site, the earliest written records about Great Zimbabwe were written in the 16th century CE, long after the site was abandoned, and most of these documents were written by Europeans who had little interest in accurately preserving the history of African civilization.

Karl Mauch & the Queen of Sheba

Karl Mauch (first name sometimes spelled Carl) was a German explorer and geologist who was searching for gold and precious stones when he first encountered the ruins in 1871 CE. Mauch's prejudices influenced his theories about the ruins. He did not believe it was possible for native Africans to build such sophisticated structures. In his journals, he claimed that the local Africans he had spoken to had only lived in the area for about 40 years, and that they were all quite “convinced that white people once inhabited the region” (Mauch, qtd. in Africa: A History Denied ).

These journals are also filled with drawings of artifacts that he found at the site. An examination of these drawings shows that the objects are African in origin, yet Mauch never acknowledged this fact. Instead, he made every effort to link the ruins to characters from the Bible. He believed he had found the city of Ophir, a wealthy trading post or port city mentioned in the Bible, and he believed the ruins had once been the palace of the city's legendary ruler, the Queen of Sheba. According to the Biblical narrative, the Queen of Sheba came from a land of great wealth, and when she visited King Solomon in Jerusalem , she brought him valuable gifts, including gold, spices and precious gems.

Mauch had little evidence to support this theory. While exploring the site, he discovered some cedar beams that he assumed were from Lebanon. He concluded that only Phoenician traders could have supplied this material, which had also been used to construct Solomon's palaces. He then theorized that the Queen of Sheba had raised the stone structures in an imitation of Solomon's palace in Jerusalem.

While there was little physical evidence or documentation to support Mauch's theory, his speculations were supported by white colonialists who were busy claiming lands in the area for the British Empire. They accepted the false narrative because it provided a link between European civilization and the territories that they were appropriating.

Theodore Bent, Richard Hall & the Phoenicians

By 1891 CE, the ruins of Great Zimbabwe were part of the territory administered by the British South Africa Company, later to become Southern Rhodesia and then Rhodesia, named for its founder Cecil Rhodes . At this time, Theodore Bent, an archaeologist, was placed in charge of the site. Leading an expedition of the Royal Geographic Society and the British Association for the Advancement of Science , Bent came across some stone bird carvings that he felt were similar to artifacts he had seen when studying Near Eastern and Mediterranean civilizations. This inadequate evidence led Bent to conclude that the site had been built by Phoenicians, and that Africans had only moved in once the Phoenicians had abandoned the place.

This theory was one of many that the British colonialists accepted and promoted in order to justify white claims to African lands. Later theories would see the site attributed to ancient Egyptians , shipwrecked Vikings and even the mythological inhabitants of Atlantis .

In 1902 CE, Rhodes hired archaeologist and journalist Richard Hall to examine and preserve the site. Hall soon published a book, The Ancient Ruins of Rhodesia , that discussed his findings. In the book, Hall asserted that Great Zimbabwe had been constructed by “more civilized races” (quoted in Ampim, par. 4). Hall then began a period of “restoration” that removed layers of sediment up to two metres deep throughout the site with the goal of removing “the filth and decadence of [African] occupation” ( ibid ). In the process, he destroyed much of the archaeological record that could have conclusively proven the African origins of the site.

Gertrude Caton-Thompson's Use of Stratigraphy

Many of those allowed to investigate the site during the early 20th century CE were little more than treasure hunters who destroyed valuable evidence in their pursuit of gold artifacts and other luxuries. Their actions would make properly dating and studying the site more difficult for later historians and archaeologists. One of those who struggled to uncover the truth due to this legacy of destruction was Gertrude Caton-Thompson, a pioneer in modern archaeology who studied the site on behalf of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

Caton-Thompson believed that earlier theories about the site were ludicrous. She intended to be far more careful and deliberate in her examination of the ruins. She used stratigraphy, one of the primary techniques of modern archaeology, to more accurately date her findings, but she had difficulty at Great Zimbabwe because so much evidence had been destroyed by her predecessors. She decided to use a plane to find unpillaged ruins and managed to locate a new set of walled enclosures that allowed her to date the site and to tear down the erroneous theories of Mauch, Bent and Hall.

The evidence she uncovered indicated that the site was far younger than previously believed, so it was not possible to link it to ancient Biblical figures or civilizations. In her book, Zimbabwe Culture , she concluded that the site was built during the medieval period by a native African civilization of “originality and amazing industry” (quoted in Hall and Stefoff, 17). She also argued that any artifacts that could be linked to non-African civilizations were evidence of trading relationships and not proof that a Near Eastern or Arab civilization constructed the site.

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Despite her efforts to attribute the site to its true builders, Caton-Thompson's theories were also clearly influenced by racism. One piece of evidence that she used to support her findings was the circular structure of the ruins. She believed this proved the African origin of the site because the local people also used circular designs in constructing their homes and villages. Then, letting her prejudice show, she added that if a more advanced civilization had built the site, they would have built walls and buildings using straight lines and right angles.

Keith Robinson Uses Radiocarbon Dating

In 1958 CE, archaeologist Keith Robinson began using radiocarbon dating to date some wooden poles that he found during an excavation at Great Zimbabwe. His tests determined that the wood came from a tree cut down between 915 and 1215 CE, confirming Caton-Thompson's theory that the site was built in medieval times. Later scholars cross-checked Robinson's finds with other radiocarbon samples taken from the site and concluded that most of the buildings were constructed at the height of the Great Zimbabwe civilization between 1300 and 1450 CE.

The Legacy of False History Continues

While Robinson and Caton-Thompson's findings should have put an end to earlier theories that Great Zimbabwe was built by a lost white civilization, myths about its history persisted, motivated by racial bias and the continued desire to justify European colonization .

In 1965 CE, Southern Rhodesia broke free of British rule under the leadership of Ian Smith, a white colonist who declared himself prime minister of the new nation. During this time, Smith continued to produce false narratives about the history of Great Zimbabwe. Tourist guides, for example, showed black Africans bowing submissively to the white visionaries who were credited with building the site's circular walls and grand palace.

In 1980 CE, native Zimbabweans overthrew Smith's government and gained their independence. They adopted the name Zimbabwe to connect themselves to their earlier history. The famous stone birds that Theodore Bent once used as “evidence” of the site's supposed Phoenician origins are now the national emblem of Zimbabwe, appearing on their flag, coats of arms and currency. The site is now widely believed to be the work of the ancestors of the Shona people, but the legacy of false history lives on. Even on UNESCO's website explaining Great Zimbabwe's importance as a World Heritage Site the ruins are described as “the capital of the Queen of Sheba, according to an age-old legend.” Perhaps offering some hope that the true history of Great Zimbabwe will one day be the only history we learn about, UNESCO does go on to discuss the true origins of the site and its importance as a “unique testimony to the Bantu civilization of the Shona between the 11th and 15th centuries.”

The impact of prejudice on the history of Great Zimbabwe is a clear example of how colonialism has tainted the study of African history. The proper study of Africa's civilizations and their history that gives full credit to native Africans for their achievements is an essential part of the decolonization process, and we all must make a greater effort to separate the truth from the biases that shaped a false narrative of African history for far too long.

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Bibliography

• Africa : a history denied (VHS tape, 1995) [WorldCat.org] , accessed 19 Mar 2020.
• Ancient Africa A History Denied (Documentary) , accessed 19 Mar 2020.
• Great Zimbabwe National Monument , accessed 19 Mar 2020.
• Great Zimbabwe: African City of Stone , accessed 19 Mar 2020.
• Hall, M. & R.Steffof. Great Zimbabwe. Oxford University Press, 2006.
• Newman, G. Echoes from the Past. McGraw-Hill Ryerson School, 2019.

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Liew, J. (2019, August 19). The Impact of Prejudice on the History of Great Zimbabwe . World History Encyclopedia . Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1429/the-impact-of-prejudice-on-the-history-of-great-zi/

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Liew, Jessica. " The Impact of Prejudice on the History of Great Zimbabwe ." World History Encyclopedia . Last modified August 19, 2019. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1429/the-impact-of-prejudice-on-the-history-of-great-zi/.

Liew, Jessica. " The Impact of Prejudice on the History of Great Zimbabwe ." World History Encyclopedia . World History Encyclopedia, 19 Aug 2019. Web. 03 Sep 2024.

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Great Zimbabwe

Aerial view of Great Zimbabwe’s Great Enclosure and adjacent ruins, looking southeast (photo: Janice Bell , CC BY-SA 4.0)

Great Zimbabwe and Harare (underlying map © Google)

Great Zimbabwe has been described as “one of the most dramatic architectural landscapes in sub-Saharan Africa.” [1] It is the largest stone complex in Africa built before the modern era, aside from the monumental architecture of ancient Egypt . The ruins that survive are a four-hour drive south of Zimbabwe’s present-day capital of Harare. It was constructed between the 11th and 15th centuries and was continuously inhabited by the Shona peoples until about 1450. But Great Zimbabwe was by no means a singular complex—at the site’s cultural zenith, it is estimated that seven comparable states existed in this region.

The word  zimbabwe  translates from the Bantu language of the Shona to either “judicial center” or “ruler’s court or house.” A few individual zimbabwes (houses) have survived exposure to the elements over the centuries. Within these clay structures, excavations have revealed interior furnishings such as pot-stands, elevated surfaces for sleeping and sitting, as well as hearths. Taken together, the settlement encompasses a cluster of approximately 250 royal houses built of clay, which in addition to other multi-story clay and thatch homes would have supported as many as 20,000 inhabitants—a exceptional scale for a sub-Saharan settlement at this time.

Plan of Great Zimbabwe showing the different constituent enclosures. Adapted from Chirikure & Pikirayi Shadreck Chirikure and Innocent Pikirayi, “Inside and outside the dry stone walls: Revisiting the material culture of Great Zimbabwe,” Antiquity 82 (December 2015), pp. 976–993.

The stone constructions of Great Zimbabwe can be categorized into roughly three areas: the Hill Ruin (or Hill Complex, on a rocky hilltop), the Great Enclosure, and the Valley Ruins (or Enclosures). The Hill Ruin dates to approximately 1250, and incorporates a cave that remains a sacred site for the Shona peoples today. The cave once accommodated the residence of the ruler and his immediate family. The Hill Ruin also held a structure surrounded by 30-foot high walls and flanked by cylindrical towers and monoliths carved with elaborate geometric patterns.

Between two walls, Great Enclosure, Great Zimbabwe (photo: Mandy , CC BY 2.0)

The Great Enclosure was completed in approximately 1450, and it too is a walled structure punctuated with turrets and monoliths, emulating the form of the earlier Hill Ruin. The massive outer wall is 32 feet high in some places. Inside the Great Enclosure, a smaller wall parallels the exterior wall creating a tight passageway leading to large towers. Because the Great Enclosure shares many structural similarities with the Hill Ruin, one interpretation suggests that the Great Enclosure was built to accommodate a surplus population and its religious and administrative activities. Another theory posits that the Great Enclosure may have functioned as a site for religious rituals.

The third section of Great Zimbabwe, the Valley Ruins, include a number of structures that offer evidence that the site served as a hub for commercial exchange and long distance trade. Archaeologists have found porcelain fragments originating from China, beads crafted in southeast Asia, and copper ingots from trading centers along the Zambezi River and from Central African kingdoms. [2]

A monolithic  soapstone sculpture of a seated bird resting on atop a register of zigzags was unearthed here. The pronounced muscularity of the bird’s breast and its defined talons suggest that this represents a bird of prey, and scholars have conjectured it could have been emblematic of the power of Shona kings as benefactors to their people and intercessors with their ancestors.

Conical Tower, Great Zimbabwe (photo: Mandy , CC BY 2.0)

Conical tower

All of the walls at Great Zimbabwe were constructed from granite hewn locally. While some theories suggest that the granite enclosures were built for defense, these walls likely had no military function. Many segments within the walls have gaps, interrupted arcs or elements that seem to run counter to needs of protection. The fact that the structures were built without the use of mortar to bind the stones together supports speculation that the site was not, in fact, intended for defense. Nevertheless, these enclosures symbolize the power and prestige of the rulers of Great Zimbabwe.

The conical tower of Great Zimbabwe is thought to have functioned as a granary. According to tradition, a Shona ruler shows his largess towards his subjects through his granary, often distributing grain as a symbol of his protection. Indeed, advancements in agricultural cultivation among Bantu-speaking peoples in sub-Saharan Africa transformed the pattern of life for many, including the Shona communities of present-day Zimbabwe.

Great Enclosure entrance (restored), Great Zimbabwe (photo: Mandy , CC BY 2.0)

Wealth and trade

Great Zimbabwe and port of Sofala (underlying map © Google)

Archaeological debris indicate that the economy of Great Zimbabwe relied on the management of livestock. In fact, cattle may have allowed the Shona peoples to move from subsistence agriculture to mining and trade. Iron tools have been found on site, along with copper, and gold wire jewelry and ornaments. Great Zimbabwe is thought to have prospered, perhaps indirectly, from gold that was mined 25 miles from the city and that was transported to the Indian Ocean port at Sofala where it made its way by dhow , up the coast, and by way of Kilwa Kisiwani , to the markets of Cairo.

By about 1500, however, Great Zimbabwe’s political and economic influence waned. Speculations as to why this occurred point to the frequency of droughts and environmental fragility, though other theories stress that Great Zimbabwe might have experienced political skirmishes over political succession that interrupted trade, still other theories hypothesize disease that may have afflicted livestock. [3]

Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) banknote featuring the conical tower at Great Zimbabwe, 1955 (© Trustees of the British Museum)

Great Zimbabwe stands as one of the most extensively developed centers in pre-colonial sub-Saharan Africa and stands as a testament to the organization, autonomy, and economic power of the Shona peoples. The site remains a potent symbol not only to the Shona, but for Zimbabweans more broadly. After gaining independence from the British, the nation formerly named after the British industrialist and imperialist, Cecil Rhodes, was renamed Zimbabwe.

[1] Webber Ndoro, The Preservation of Great Zimbabwe: Your Monument, Our Shrine (ICCROM, 2005), p. 16.

[2] Peter Garlake, Early Art and Architecture of Africa (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2002), p. 153.

[3] Garlake, 157.

Additional resources

The Economist Magazine interactive.

Great Zimbabwe World Heritage Site (UNESCO).

Great Zimbabwe student worksheet (The British Museum).

Great Zimbabwe on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.

Webber Ndoro, The Preservation of Great Zimbabwe: Your Monument, Our Shrine (ICCROM, 2005).

Thomas N. Huffman, “Debating Great Zimbabwe,” South African Archaeological Bulletin, 66 (2011), pp. 27–40.

Thomas N. Huffman, The Soapstone Birds from Great Zimbabwe, African Arts , 18 (May 1985), pp. 68–73.

P. Hubbard, “The Zimbabwe Birds: Interpretation and Symbolism,” Honeyguide: Journal of Birdlife Zimbabwe 55 (2009), pp. 109–116.

Great Zimbabwe from Scientific American.

“Lost cities # 9: racism and ruins – the plundering of Great Zimbabwe,” The Guardian (August 18, 2016).

Peter S. Garlake, Great Zimbabwe (Stein & Day Pub, 1973).

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