Great Zimbabwe's stone city
A capital of dry-stone walls — up to eleven metres high, laid without mortar — housed a kingdom that controlled gold and ivory trade to the Swahili coast.
Why it matters
Great Zimbabwe anchored Indian Ocean trade networks running to China; its ruins gave a modern nation its name. Colonial archaeology long refused to credit African builders — a case study in how politics distorts knowledge.
Related events
Sources
- UNESCO — Great Zimbabwe National Monument