The name Zimbabwe evokes boundless associations. In Spanish, Zimbabwe means “the revered stone house” or “stone house.” Additionally, some believe that Zimbabwe is a homophone of “mazimbwe,” which in the Shona language means “the chief’s residence.” Others argue that it signifies “a rich mine”… All these interpretations bestow a mystical aura upon Zimbabwe, a country on the African continent rich in ancient relics.
In 1868, a group of European explorers traveling through Africa in pursuit of a wild animal in the dense forests about 30 kilometers from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe suddenly stumbled upon a vast expanse of ruins. This site would later become renowned as “Great Zimbabwe.”
Although much of “Great Zimbabwe” has been damaged, certain features still showcase the magnificent splendor of this ancient architectural complex, which has been preserved to this day.
The architectural centerpiece is a flat area at the foot of the mountain, representing the most glorious aspect of “Great Zimbabwe.” The outer wall is oval-shaped, known as the Great Enclosure. On the three sides of the walls—East, West, and North—there are three entrances, each topped with large granite arches. The upper part of the enclosure is adorned with long, slender, and rigid patterns, some with carvings resembling peculiar stone birds. To the southeast, there is an additional stone wall parallel to the enclosure, about 1 meter apart, which, along with the outer wall, forms a narrow pathway stretching 100 meters, leading to a semi-enclosed area resembling a courtyard. Inside the enclosure, there are tall conical stone towers, stone monuments, underground chambers, wells, and several rugged rocky walls resembling the relics of an ancient palace. Numerous small houses are also located near the enclosure.
Within the entire architectural complex of Great Zimbabwe, the most mysterious feature is the conical stone towers inside the oval enclosure. These are constructed from solid granite, tapering from a smaller top to a larger base, standing approximately 20 meters tall, and bear no inscriptions whatsoever. They are primarily made of granite blocks shaped into interlocking stones, built according to a specific design. The stones are fitted tightly together without evidence of mortar or any binding agent; it would be difficult to slip even a thin blade between them. How many years have they weathered, and how many upheavals of the world have they witnessed?
Since 1868, numerous European exploration teams and scientists have traveled to southern Africa to investigate the remnants of this mystical land. They have conducted multiple surveys to uncover the intrinsic mysteries of Great Zimbabwe. The conical towers within the enclosure have been the primary focus of these investigations. British archaeologist Cotlan Bethe invested considerable resources and efforts to excavate a large tunnel around and through the conical tower, hoping to discover an entrance. He found that the towers are solid, and to this day, no entrance has been discovered, leading to speculation that perhaps there was never a door. Archaeologists are left wondering what purpose these towering structures served.
This issue has sparked various opinions. Some suggest that the external shape of the tower resembles a large granary. However, if the tower is entirely solid, how could it store grain? Others propose that it symbolizes male genitalia, representing a totem used in some ancient religious rituals, embodying the powerful spirit of the tribe or the supreme authority of the tribal chief. Yet, all these theories lack compelling evidence, and there are no historical records to corroborate them.
For Europeans, Great Zimbabwe must have represented a legendary golden age. They believe it closely resembles European history, potentially being the land with gold mines referenced in the Old Testament in connection with King Solomon. The fortification walls were constructed in a manner similar to how King Solomon built his palace on Mount Moriah.
This subjective reasoning once ignited a gold rush among Europeans. Many Europeans, upon reaching this stone city, hired local workers and utilized advanced machinery to excavate the entire site, digging to a depth of 3 meters. They removed all artifacts, except for granite. All documents, including some historical records that could clarify the historical truths, were also taken. As a result, scientists were unable to conduct timely research or excavations in this stone city.
In the years that followed, researchers conducted excavations around Zimbabwe and uncovered a wealth of artifacts, including weapons, tools, and finely crafted jewelry. Some of these items originated from China, Arabia, Persia, and even ancient India. From the artifacts discovered in this area, we can at least discern that this forsaken stone city once engaged in cultural and trade exchanges with ancient China, Arabia, and Persia. However, ancient Chinese, Arabian, and Persian texts rarely mention trade activities with Zimbabwe.
It is likely that these artifacts were brought to Zimbabwe by some intermediary traders. Who this intermediary was remains unknown. The majestic conical towers reveal that the construction techniques of that era had reached a very high level. In other words, the builders of these conical towers had early knowledge of geometry, architecture, and physics…
What were all these large and small stone structures used for? Some suggest that this could have been the royal palace of an ancient kingdom that was destroyed long ago; others believe it was a significant religious center. However, all of these are merely subjective speculations because, in reality, the entire stone architecture bears no inscriptions, diagrams, or murals. In this respect, it is quite different from the Maya city in the Americas or Angkor in Southeast Asia, both of which feature reliefs. Furthermore, there are no records in world cultural heritage regarding Zimbabwe, leaving us uncertain about how to study it. The questions related to this include: who? during what period? using what tools? and what methods were employed to create this extraordinary stone city? What connections did the builders of this stone city have with the current residents of Zimbabwe, the Shona and the Matabele? If the builders were outsiders, why did they abandon this site one day?
It can be said that, aside from Egypt, Great Zimbabwe is a benchmark of African civilization. However, we truly know and understand very little about it.
