Great Zimbabwe is the name given to the remains of a Southern African ancient city, located in present-day Zimbabwe which was once the centre of a vast empire known as the Munhumutapa Empire (also called Monomotapa Empire) covering the modern states of Zimbabwe (which got its name from this city) and Mozambique. Zimbabwe, short form for "ziimba remabwe", is a Shona (dialect: chiKaranga) term, which means "the great or big house built of stones". Currently, Great Zimbabwe is an archeological site. The site is also modern Zimbabwe's national shrine where the Zimbabwe Bird (a national symbol of Zimbabwe) was found.
An early European explorer described it:
"Among the gold mines of the inland plains between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers there is a fortress built of stones of marvelous size, and there appears to be no mortar joining them.... This edifice is almost surrounded by hills, upon which are others resembling it in the fashioning of stone and the absence of mortar, and one of them is a tower more than 12 fathoms [22 m] high. The natives of the country call these edifices Symbaoe, which according to their language signifies court.--Viçente Pegado, Captain, Portuguese Garrison of Sofala, 1531
Built consistently throughout the period from the years 400 AD to the 15th century, the ruins at Great Zimbabwe are the oldest and largest structures located in Sub-Saharan Africa. At its peak, estimates are that the ruins of Great Zimbabwe had as many as 18,000 inhabitants.
Built entirely of stone (those parts that survive), the ruins span 1,800 acres (7 km²) and cover a radius of 100 to 200 miles (160 to 320 km). The ruins can be broken down into three distinct architectural groups. They are known as the Hill Complex, the Valley Complex and the famous Great Enclosure. Over 300 structures have been located so far in the Great Enclosure.
Estimates are that the earliest residents of Great Zimbabwe, the Shona people, started living there around 400 AD. Construction and occupation of the city continued through the 15th century. The type of stone structures found on the site give an indication of the status of the citizenry. Structures that were more elaborate were built for the kings and situated further away from the center of the city. It is thought that this was done in order to escape sleeping sickness.
What little evidence exists, suggests that that Great Zimbabwe also became a center for trading.
Nobody knows for sure knows why the site was eventually abandoned. Perhaps it was due to drought, perhaps due to disease or it simply could be that the decline in the gold trade forced the people who inhabited Great Zimbabwe to look for greener pastures.
So what if this mysterious African civilization had continued to thrive and prosper in Africa. Can annyone come up with an POD in which the Munhumutapa Empire or another shona empire comes alog and manges to unite east africa. What effects would this kingdom have on other kingdom other African Kingdoms west, and The Practice of the slave trade? Please feel free to discuss
An early European explorer described it:
"Among the gold mines of the inland plains between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers there is a fortress built of stones of marvelous size, and there appears to be no mortar joining them.... This edifice is almost surrounded by hills, upon which are others resembling it in the fashioning of stone and the absence of mortar, and one of them is a tower more than 12 fathoms [22 m] high. The natives of the country call these edifices Symbaoe, which according to their language signifies court.--Viçente Pegado, Captain, Portuguese Garrison of Sofala, 1531
Built consistently throughout the period from the years 400 AD to the 15th century, the ruins at Great Zimbabwe are the oldest and largest structures located in Sub-Saharan Africa. At its peak, estimates are that the ruins of Great Zimbabwe had as many as 18,000 inhabitants.
Built entirely of stone (those parts that survive), the ruins span 1,800 acres (7 km²) and cover a radius of 100 to 200 miles (160 to 320 km). The ruins can be broken down into three distinct architectural groups. They are known as the Hill Complex, the Valley Complex and the famous Great Enclosure. Over 300 structures have been located so far in the Great Enclosure.
Estimates are that the earliest residents of Great Zimbabwe, the Shona people, started living there around 400 AD. Construction and occupation of the city continued through the 15th century. The type of stone structures found on the site give an indication of the status of the citizenry. Structures that were more elaborate were built for the kings and situated further away from the center of the city. It is thought that this was done in order to escape sleeping sickness.
What little evidence exists, suggests that that Great Zimbabwe also became a center for trading.
Nobody knows for sure knows why the site was eventually abandoned. Perhaps it was due to drought, perhaps due to disease or it simply could be that the decline in the gold trade forced the people who inhabited Great Zimbabwe to look for greener pastures.
So what if this mysterious African civilization had continued to thrive and prosper in Africa. Can annyone come up with an POD in which the Munhumutapa Empire or another shona empire comes alog and manges to unite east africa. What effects would this kingdom have on other kingdom other African Kingdoms west, and The Practice of the slave trade? Please feel free to discuss
