Three of Southern Africa’s most famous ancient cities
Submitted by Andy B on Monday, 14 January 2019 Page Views: 5429
DiscoveriesCountry: South Africa
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Great Zimbabwe: the centre of ancient trade
Great Zimbabwe was a bustling city build on nothing but neatly cut out granite blocks. These granite blocks were placed one on top of the other without any mortar. The building project at great Zimbabwe started in the 11th Century and continued all the way to the 15th Century. This city, which is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, accommodated about 18,000 people at its peak, more than some cities even today.It is believed that Great Zimbabwe, sometimes referred to as Zimbabwe Ruins, was the royal palace for the Shona Kingdom which was known as the Monomotapa. The structure at Great Zimbabwe was so well organised that it would later become an important centre for trade. The site was eventually abandoned around 1450 due to a shortage of resources and water. It has since been restored and now attracts travellers from far and wide.
Khami Ruins: A new capital
After abandoning Great Zimbabwe, the inhabitants moved south west of the country, today known as Zimbabwe, and established another capital: the Khami Ruins. This new capital is located about 22 kilometres outside the modern city of Bulawayo. However, in the new settlement, sand and clay were added as building materials to keep the stones together. This settlement is a lot smaller than Great Zimbabwe.In the 1800s, many settlers made their way to the Khami Ruins looking for treasure. Due to an invasion by a tribe known as the Ndebele, which has originally arrived from the Zulu Kingdom in South Africa, this capital would be abandoned in the 19th Century. While this may have caused some damage to the site, it somehow survived to this day.
Mapungubwe: the home of the golden rhino
It has been almost a thousand years since the days of the ancient kingdom of Mapungubwe. This kingdom was located in South Africa where two rivers meet: the Shashe and Limpopo. This kingdom, whose population is estimated to have been about 5000 become famous for its well organised agricultural system. It was also an important trading point with India and countries in East Africa. Like most ancient cities in this region, the royal family built their homes on a hill while the commoners would settle on the foot of the hill.The kingdom was abandoned in the early years of the 12th Century. It was rediscovered in 1930 and today is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Mapungubwe is famous for having the largest collection of ancient artefacts in the whole of the Southern African region. The golden rhino is possibly one of the most famous that visitors to this site want to see. The location of this ancient site has since been declared by the government of South Africa as a protected national park.
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