and rudely filled in with soil, débris, also with stones which have
fallen into it, and for almost 2 ft. in depth it is covered with rich
vegetable mould. [This latter was removed in 1903.]
NO. 5 ENCLOSURE
This enclosure is immediately inside the _West Entrance_ to the temple,
the western and south-western main wall forming its boundary on those
sides from (735 ft.) to (760 ft.) on the north side of the entrance,
and from (0 ft.) to (100 ft.) on the south side of the entrance, thus
making its length on the side of the main wall to be 130 ft.
The area was once subdivided, but at present it is difficult to say
exactly where the sub-divisional walls ran, though the faint traces of
these are to be seen in several directions, but all appear to radiate
from the eastern side of the enclosure towards the inside face of the
main wall.
The north side is 59 ft. long, the south wall of _No. 4 Enclosure_
being its northern boundary. The face of this wall at its eastern
extremity is well built, but the western portion of it is very poorly
constructed. The probable cause of this difference in the building of
the wall was explained in the description of _No. 4 Enclosure_, and
also in the Preface.
The eastern side for 36 ft. in length from the north side is formed
by a very well-built wall which forms the southern extremity of _West
Passage_. This wall is now only 6 ft. in height, but the great amount
of wall-débris lying at its bases suggests that it was once some 7
ft. higher. It is 6 ft. wide on its present summit. From this point
to the southern end of the enclosure the rest of the eastern side is
open space, with traces of substantial wall foundations all along this
length. The total length of the eastern side of this enclosure is 93 ft.
The south side, which is 37 ft. long, is formed by faint traces of a
wall which divides this area from _No. 6 Enclosure_, extending from the
west outer side of _No. 7 Enclosure_ to the main wall.
The width at the centre of this enclosure from east to west is 57 ft.
A flat granite monolith stands at 30 ft. north-east of the north
buttress of the _West Entrance_ with a flat face towards the west. It
rises from the ground 6 ft. 9 in., is 3 ft. broad, narrowing to 1 ft.
10 in. at the top. It is 3 in. thick, and leans slightly towards the
east. No artificial markings can be discovered on either of its faces.
A triangular-shaped granite beam stands 2 ft. 11 in. above the ground
at 26 ft. north-east of the south buttress of the _West Entrance_. A
fractured portion of the beam, until lately buried, lies near. This
section is 8 ft. 2 in. long. Twelve years ago this beam was complete.
It then had a tilt towards the north, and its base must be deep to have
supported its heavy weight in a leaning position.
Other sections of fractured granite monoliths were buried at this
spot; one set of sections exceed together 8 ft., without taking into
consideration a section which is missing.
The latest floor of this enclosure is at least 2 ft. below the present
surface, the soil on the top being vegetable mould thickly matted with
roots of wild vines and other creepers. [In August, 1903, this top soil
was removed from the whole area. Several pieces of beaten gold and some
Arabian glass were found lying on the hard soil underneath it.]
NO. 6 ENCLOSURE
This adjoins _No. 5 Enclosure_, which forms its western boundary. The
south side is formed by the south main wall of the temple from (100
ft.) to (179 ft. 3 in.). The north and north-east side is formed by
the south wall of _No. 7 Enclosure_. This wall is from 5 ft. to 11
ft. high. The eastern side is formed by the west wall of the _Sacred
Enclosure_, which is from 8 ft. to 11 ft. high.
The measurements of this area are: south side, 79 ft.; north side, 58
ft.; east side, 22 ft.; and west side, 31 ft.
This enclosure has two entrances. Probably another entrance may be
discovered on the western side on the removal of débris.
The northern entrance is at 35 ft. to 37 ft., measuring from the
eastern end of the north wall. This leads into _No. 7 Enclosure_. It
has rounded walls, and the floor forms part of the foundation. There
are no portcullis grooves.
The eastern entrance is at 13 ft. to 15 ft., measuring from the north
end of the east wall. This leads into the _Sacred Enclosure_. Its walls
are rounded, and there are portcullis grooves. The steps are built into
the wall. On either side of the entrance there are traces of rounded
buttresses.
Monkey-rope roots have done serious injury to the eastern end of the
north wall, and have caused a depression of 5 ft. from the average
height of the reduced wall.
This enclosure is interesting because it showed three floors below the
soil surface. On removing the mould which form the top surface for a
depth of 1 ft. to 2 ft., was found the common red clay foundation of
a Makalanga hut, about which lay iron hoes, assegai-heads, and also
pottery of no great age. Below this, for a further depth of 1 ft. to 1
ft. 6 in., was a promiscuous filling-in of blocks and soil, and below
this again was a very hard soil, probably of decomposed cement, and on
this hard surface was a pile of about 20 lbs. weight of portions of
pottery scorifiers and small crucibles, all of which showed gold richly
on the flux. These had evidently been piled up as rubbish, for they
were all found within an area of 2 sq. ft., and no other portions of
scorifiers or crucibles were found elsewhere in this enclosure. A pair
of iron pincers made of two pieces of iron welded together at one end,
an iron gong, and a soapstone amulet were discovered together, while
on the lowest floor was a portion of a large soapstone bowl carved
with herring-bone on cord pattern, and the fractured bases of what are
believed to be true phalli. This lowest floor is 9 in. deeper than the
one on which the gold crucibles were found, and is made of whitish
cement, and has been exposed for about 4 sq. ft. in the north-east
corner of the enclosure at 11 ft. below the summit of the east wall.
The reconstruction of the north wall at its eastern end is very
conspicuous. This reconstruction is referred to in the description of
_No. 7 Enclosure_.
In the soil débris pile, which had been removed from _No. 7 Enclosure_
into this enclosure in 1891 by Bent, was (in August, 1902) found a
piece of glass, being the lip portion of a bowl. This had bosses on its
surface, with gold rims round each boss, indicating that the upper part
of the neck of this bowl was once covered with gold enamel. This glass
is believed to be identical with that found by Sir John Willoughby,
and pronounced by authorities at the British Museum to belong to the
thirteenth century.
NO. 7 ENCLOSURE
This enclosure is on the south side of the temple, the south and
south-west wall running for 55 ft. parallel with the main wall at a
distance of about 21 ft. This enclosure, next to _No. 1 Enclosure_, is
in the best state of preservation of any chamber within the temple.
Its area is 54 ft. 6 in. from north to south, and 39 ft. from east
to west, and its form resembles a quarter section of a circle, with
its rounded side extending from south-west to north, the centre of
which quarter-circle is at the south-south-east end of the area. The
present surface of the area is very uneven, owing to the operations of
excavators and searchers for relics.
There are two entrances still more or less intact, one on the
south-west side leading into _No. 6 Enclosure_, and the other at the
north corner, but facing west. Possibly there was also an entrance on
the east side, where a gigantic fig tree, 50 ft. high, now stands.
The south-west entrance (see section) is protected on the inside by
rounded buttresses on either side, which project 2 ft. 6 in. into
the enclosure. These buttresses, of which only the lower courses now
remain, are built upon, and at each end of, a semi-circular base 11 ft.
long protruding 4 ft. 6 in. into the enclosure, the face courses of
which curve inwards, one above and behind, the other between the side
buttresses, and so form steps up to the entrance, the courses above
the steps being carried round the buttresses. There are no traces of
portcullis grooves. This is a form of steps found in the entrances
through the main wall of the temple, and in the entrances in many
ruins of the oldest or first-period style of architecture, whether at
Zimbabwe or elsewhere in the country.
[Illustration: WEST ENTRANCE TO No. 7 ENCLOSURE, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE]
[Illustration: SOUTH WALL OF No. 7 ENCLOSURE, SHEWING PART (TO LEFT)
RECONSTRUCTED, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE]
The north entrance is of exactly similar construction, but is in a
better state of preservation, the one buttress remaining being still 5
ft. high. This entrance has portcullis grooves.
The best-built portion of the walls of this enclosure is undoubtedly
that of the curved wall which extends from south-west to north. This is
a fine piece of work, and the face of the wall is very regular. This
wall is from 11 ft. to 13 ft. high on the inside, and 11 ft. to 14 ft.
high on the outside, and is 4 ft. 6 in. wide in its present summit, the
line of which is even except at its extremities. Judging by the block
débris, this wall might once have been fully 2 ft. to 3 ft. higher.
The centre of the outward curve of the wall is 11 ft. west from a line
drawn between the extreme points of the curve.
The south wall may be divided into two sections, the westerly portion
being well built, and the easterly portion very poorly constructed,
having numerous straight joints, disappearing and false courses, and is
built of stones of all sizes and shapes. This latter part is evidently
a reconstruction at a later date and on the old foundations. Where the
joint was made between the old and the later walls is very clearly
discernible, while there is a deep depression in the summit of the wall
at this point. These depressions almost always exist in joints between
old and later walls. This wall is 32 ft. long, between 8 ft. and 9 ft.
high, and is 4 ft. wide on its reduced summit.
The eastern side is in four lengths: (1) a small portion of wall in
the south-east corner 6 ft. long, 6 ft. high, and 4 ft. wide; (2) a
gap of 14 ft., evidently made by past and present trees; (3) a wall 7
ft. high, 13 ft. long, and 3 ft. wide on its summit (the lower portion
of this section is built up against (4), but in the upper section it
is built into it); and (4) a wall 16 ft. long, 9 ft. high, 4 ft. wide
on summit. This wall has been partly ruined at its western end by the
roots of a large tree.
The connection between sections (3) and (4) where the lower portion
of (3) is built up against and is independent of (4), while the
upper portion of (3) is built and bonded into and forms part of (4),
has an exact parallel in the west wall of _Recess Enclosure_ on the
_Acropolis_, where the lower portions of two walls are independent of
each other, but their higher portions are bonded and built as one wall.
In August, 1902, some thirty tons of explorers’ débris of old date
were removed from this enclosure, and a floor of granite cement was
disclosed at its south end, in the middle of which, and forming part of
the cement work, is a raised circular platform 7 in. high, 16 ft. 10
in. in circumference, and with rounded sides. Close to it was found a
rounded piece of diorite extensively marked with hammerings, as if it
had been used for an anvil.
Along the base of the south wall is a cemented edging 6 in. high, 17
ft. long, with rounded edges, protruding 8 in. to 12 in. from the wall.
In the south corner are two blind steps made of granite cement (see
_Architecture_—_Blind Steps_).
CHAPTER XII
THE ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE
(_Continued_)
Sacred Enclosure—Conical Tower—Small Tower—Parallel Passage.
No. 8
THE SACRED ENCLOSURE
This enclosure, which contains the _Conical Tower_ and the now ruined
“_Little Cone_,” lies on the south-east of the temple area, the main
east wall from south-east to east-north-east being its eastern boundary
from (186 ft.) to (315 ft).
In shape it is long and narrow, the _Conical Tower_ practically
dividing the area into two almost equal sections: _Sacred Enclosure_
(_east_), and _Sacred Enclosure_ (_west_).
The length of this enclosure measured along the inside face of the main
wall is 129 ft. 2 in. The northern side is formed by sections of walls
which in the main run parallel with the south wall of the temple. The
northern sections of walls are at the following distances from the main
wall: at the extreme west 25 ft.; at (186 ft.) 31 ft.; on either side
of the _Conical Tower_ 26 ft.; at (300 ft.) 17 ft.; and at the extreme
east 5 ft, this last portion for 13 ft. being greatly narrowed by large
buttresses on either side up to the entrance of the _Parallel Passage_.
The northern wall sections commencing at the west end are as follows:—
A wall 28 ft. long forming the south wall of _No. 11 Enclosure_. The
first section of 20 ft. is indifferently built, but the last 8 ft. well
constructed. The joint between the two classes of walls is obvious,
and the inferior wall is considerably dilapidated at its western end,
especially at the western entrance. The highest portion is 9 ft. 6 in.
above the present surface of the interior.
The second section is the south wall of _The Platform_, which rounds
on a length of 24 ft. into _Sacred Enclosure_ (_west_) for 7 ft., and
recedes again directly north of the _Conical Tower_. This rounded wall
is exceedingly well built. Its summit is practically level, and its
height is 11 ft. to 14 ft., according to the rise and fall of the floor
or steps of the enclosure.
The third section is a wall 48 ft. long, extending from north of the
_Conical Tower_ to the entrance of the _Parallel Passage_. From the
south side of this wall, and just inside the north entrance, is a
wall 13 ft. high, 5 ft. wide, narrowing as the _Conical Tower_ is
approached, projecting towards the north-east side of the _Conical
Tower_. The last 27 ft. of this third section is evidently of a later
period construction. The joint of the older and later walls is very
clearly defined, and there is a depression on the summit at this point.
The height of the wall varies from 14 ft. to 16 ft.
The _Sacred Enclosure_ has four entrances—south-west, west, north, and
east.
The south-west entrance is from _No. 6 Enclosure_. This has rounded
walls and portcullis grooves, and is 5 ft. high on either side, 2 ft.
wide, and runs through a wall 4 ft. 10 in. thick. On the inside of
this entrance are the remains of steps which relic prospectors have
destroyed. The floor of the entrance is 4 ft. above the floor of the
enclosure.
The western entrance, which leads from _No. 9 Enclosure_, is also
rounded, and had portcullis grooves, and its floor was once paved with
cement. This entrance is in a very dilapidated condition, owing to
trees and creepers.
The north or main entrance to this enclosure is rounded on either side,
and has portcullis grooves. It is 2 ft. 10 in. wide, and is directly
north of the _Conical Tower_, between which and this entrance the
floor is substantially paved with cement, and has cement steps leading
down into the enclosure on the west side of the _Conical Tower_.
[Illustration: VISITORS’ LADDER TO SUMMIT OF MAIN WALL, ELLIPTICAL
TEMPLE]
[Illustration: THE SMALL CONICAL TOWER, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE]
The east entrance leads from the _Parallel Passage_, and measurements
of it are given in the description of that passage.
The buttresses on either side of the inner side of the eastern entrance
have not the appearance of being ancient, unless they had once
collapsed and been roughly rebuilt at a much later period.
The eastern section of this enclosure has been cleared of débris down
to the level of a yellow granite cement floor. In several places this
flooring has been destroyed by roots of both past and present trees of
great size. This section appears to have had to absorb all rainfall
from the south-east area of the temple, as this enclosure is at a much
lower level than the adjoining enclosures, and this may account for
the decomposition at some points of the cement floor. The clearing to
the cement floor has also been carried round the base of the _Conical
Tower_, which now stands upon an almost level floor. The spot where
Bent sank the hole through the cement can plainly be seen on the south
side of the tower. The clearing also disclosed a granite cement step
at the north entrance with a level cement floor on the inner side
between it and the north side of the tower. This floor is 2 ft. above
the cement floor round the base of the tower, from which raised floor
two granite steps between the tower and _The Platform_ lead down to the
floor of the western section of the enclosure.
In the western section the floor along the base of the main wall is
buried in débris to a depth of 1 ft. 6 in. to 5 ft. From the base
of the northern wall of this section to the centre of the area is a
cemented floor laid on a pavement of blocks, but in some places the
cement has become decomposed. In the west corner of this section of the
enclosure is a floor raised 3 ft. above the cement floor, but this is
very roughly built, and appears to have been a filling-in by some late
occupiers of the temple. On the east side of this raised floor, and
acting as its retaining wall on that side, are the remains of a wall
4 ft. high and 4 ft. wide projecting from the reconstructed portion
of the north wall, and most probably of even a later date than the
obviously reconstructed wall, seeing that it is built up against it.
In the angle formed by the 28-ft. section of the north wall of the
western area and the wall of _The Platform_ is a set of “blind
steps,” two in number, and with a platform 8 ft. by 6 ft. square,
the steps and the platform being covered with granite cement (see
_Architecture_—_Blind Steps_).
Small portions of granite cement are to be found in the joints of
the blocks of the main wall up to a height of 7 ft., and also to
a similar height on the north wall of the eastern section of this
enclosure, while in the angle of this latter wall and the buttress
built up against it are the remains of a granite cement dado (see
_Architecture_—_Cement Dadoes_).
THE CONICAL TOWER[52]
This celebrated tower, which forms one of the chief architectural
features of the Zimbabwe ruins, stands in the centre of the Sacred
Enclosure, dividing it into two areas. The south-east of the tower is 3
ft. 10 in. from the main wall of the temple (at 255 ft.) from the south
side of the west entrance. It is 31 ft. high on its south-east face; 30
ft. on the south-west side; 26 ft. 6 in. on its north-east side; and
29 ft. on the north-west side. These measurements are taken from the
actual foundation, which is only a few inches below the granite cement
flooring surrounding its base on all sides but the north. The average
height of the reduced summit of the tower in 1894 was 32 ft., and it
was then far more level than as seen to-day. Bent believed the original
height to have been 35 ft., at which point he thought it once had a
level top, 4 ft in diameter. Photographs taken in 1891 give a very good
impression of what the tower was like previous to the dilapidation,
which took place immediately after that time.
It is difficult to state the exact circumference of the base throughout
the extent of the foundations, as a granite cement raised floor, with
steps, is constructed up against the base of the north side, but it may
be taken to be about 57 ft. 6 in. The measurements of the circumference
of the tower at different heights are as follows: at 5 ft. above floor
53 ft. 8 in.; at 10 ft., 50 ft. 4 in.; at 15 ft., 46 ft. 1 in.; at
20 ft., 39 ft.; at 25 ft., 32 ft.; at 27 ft. 6 in. (where the broken
portion of the summit commences), 30 ft. 2 in. The average battering
back of the tower, so far as the broken edges of the present summit
will permit of approximately correct measurements being taken, is, at
the following heights, as follows: at 10 ft. above floor 1 ft. 7 in.;
at 15 ft., 1 ft. 10 in.; at 20 ft., 2 ft. 6 in.; at 25 ft., 4 ft. 2
in.; and at 27 ft., 5 ft. 5 in.
The battering is far more regular on the west and south sides, where it
is also a few inches less severe. To secure the inclining back of the
sides of the cone, the blocks from front to back on its circumference
are laid on the flat on a dead level, and yet so slightly do the blocks
of one course lie back beyond the edge of the faces of the blocks
of the course below that, except at one or two points, it is almost
impossible to notice where the batter takes place. Even the blocks in
the bulge on the north side have been ascertained to be still perfectly
level.
There is a slight bulging on the east and north-east sides at 10 ft.
to 15 ft. above the floor, and this somewhat reduces the extent of
battering-back on those sides at that height. This bulging creates an
optical delusion, for visitors almost always declare that the tower has
tilted slightly to the north-east. But this tilting has now been proved
not to exist. There are many causes which may have brought about
the bulging. A large branch of hard-wood tree, the trunk of which is
believed to have been over one hundred years old, had for years, even
in light breezes, scraped up and down this side of the tower, and also
it was on this side that most of the monkey rope, creepers, and bushes
were growing out of the crevices of the tower from base to summit.
The foundations are exceedingly shallow, being only some 10 in. to 18
in. below the granite cement flooring. The foundation of the main wall
near this point is only 10 in. below the same flooring. The lowest
course of blocks of the tower is of the average size of the blocks used
in the face of the structure. These rest on what was originally granite
cement, but which, with the dripping of storm water for centuries
down the large area of the face of the tower, has now become mere
yellow sand. This, however, remains very firm, and still makes a good
foundation. The foundations have not at any point sunk below their
original level, but there are evidences that its enormous weight has
caused the tower to settle firmly on to its bed.
The present reduced summit of the tower, where it is intact, slants
down from the west and south and south-east edges some 4 ft. towards
the north-east, but the block débris on the summit only slants for 2
ft. in the same direction. In the centre of the summit is a hole sunk
down into the top of the tower some 4 ft. It will be remembered that
Dr. Karl Mauch (1871) admitted having made this hole for the purpose
of ascertaining whether the tower was solid. The hole was once much
deeper, but debris has filled it up to 4 ft. from the summit. Mauch
also made a second hole in the west face of the tower at 5 ft. from
the floor. This also showed the tower to be solid. Theodore Bent
(1891) also made a hole for a similar purpose. This is on the south
face, and extends from the foundation to 4 ft. above the flooring, and
he pronounced the tower to be perfectly solid. A certain Rhodesian,
bent, as he confessed, on finding “The Treasure Chamber”(!), made
another hole on the east side, at 5 ft. from the ground, and with the
same result, but this hole is so neatly built up afresh that it can
only just be located. The hole made by Mauch remained unbuilt up until
1902, and several courses above it have consequently sagged. In 1902 a
thin wire rod inserted in this last hole and passed through joints of
internal dry masonry for 8 ft. towards the centre showed the tower to
be solid.
The dentelle pattern, which Mauch stated ran round the eastern portion
of the summit of the tower, is now represented by only ten blocks.
These form three sets of double courses of the dentelle pattern, as
on the summit of the eastern face of the Eastern Temple on the hill,
and two blocks of a lower course more to the east, and two loose
dentelle blocks lying on the summit of the tower. One extremity of the
pattern was undoubtedly, as can be seen on close inspection, facing
the south-east, but it extended some little distance round towards the
east, but how far it is now quite impossible to ascertain. Mauch owned
to having destroyed a portion of the pattern in making the hole on the
summit.
The pattern was formed by two rows of wedge-shaped blocks placed to
project 2 in. beyond the face of the wall, while above them, just as in
the dentelle patterns elsewhere, were placed heavy blocks and throughs
or ties, as if to bind effectively the stones forming the patterns,
as the introduction of a decorative pattern in ancient walls anywhere
in Rhodesia can be seen to have proved a point of weakness in the
durability of the faces of the walls. The summit of the tower has been
greatly dilapidated by small trees and bushes growing on the top, the
stumps and roots of which can still be seen.
The best idea of the symmetry and accuracy of the contour of the tower
can be obtained by standing on the summit of the main wall, near the
top of the visitors’ ladder.
THE SMALL TOWER
The base of this stands in _Sacred Enclosure_ (_east_), at 5 ft. 2 in.
north-east of the large tower. Its circumference at the cement floor
is 21 ft. 7 in. At 4 ft. above the floor it has a circumference of 19
ft. 10 in., the dilapidation not being so serious as to prevent this
measurement being taken. The present reduced height is as follows: west
side, 3 ft. 2 in.; south side, 4 ft. 6 in.; east side, 6 ft. 6 in.; and
north side, 5 ft. 3 in.
Unfortunately this tower, which Bent proved to have been solid, has,
within the last few years, been subject to serious dilapidation.
Photographs taken in 1894 are now but a record of the appearance of
this tower at that time, for now, on comparing the photographs with the
tower, they have become obsolete. A large branch of the tall hard-wood
tree, which stands 3 ft. from the east side of this tower, had thrown
over the summit on to the floor on the west side, and in 1902 nothing
of the tower was left save the outer face of the wall, the internal
blocks having been taken out by some unauthorised relic prospectors.
These were replaced, and all the blocks which belong to the tower
preserved.
Bent (p. 115) states:—
“The religious purport of these towers would seem to be
conclusively proved by the numerous finds we made in other
parts of the ruins of a phallic nature, and I think a quotation
from Montfaucon’s _L’Antiquité Expliquée_ will give us the
keynote of the worship: ‘The ancients assure us that all the
Arabians worshipped a tower, which they called El Acara,
or Alquetila, which was built by their patriarch, Ismael,’
‘Maximus of Tyre says they honoured as a great god a great
cut-stone. This is apparently the same stone resembling Venus,
according to Euthymius Zygabenus. When the Saracens were
converted to Christianity they were obliged to anathematise
this stone, which formerly they worshipped.’ This tower (at
Zimbabwe) doubtless corresponded to the sacred tower of the
Midianites, called Penuel, or the ‘Face of God,’ which Gideon
destroyed (Judges viii. 7). Allusions to these towers are
constant in the Bible, and the Arabian historian, El Masoudi
(940 A.D.), further tells us that this stone or tower was eight
cubits high, and was placed in an angle of the temple, which
had no roof. Turning to Phœnician temple construction, we have
a good parallel to the ruins of the Great Zimbabwe at Byblos
(in Phœnicia), as depicted on the coins; the tower, or sacred
cone, is set up within the temple precincts, and shut off in
an enclosure. Similar work is also found in the round temples
of the Cabiri, at Hadjar Kem, in Malta, and the construction
of these buildings bears a remarkable resemblance to that of
those at Zimbabwe, and the round towers, or nuraghs, found
in Sardinia may possibly be of similar significance. MM.
Perrot and Chapiez, in their _History of Art in Sardinia_,
speak of these nuraghs as forts or temples, around which the
primitive inhabitants of the island once lived. They are
truncated cones, built with stone blocks of different sizes,
narrowing at the top. The stones are unhewn as a rule, and
laid on without mortar. Here, too, we have a parallel for our
monoliths, mention of unhewn stone, and also for the phalli,
specimens of which are to be found carved on stone, and here,
too, the intricate plan of the fortresses suggests at once a
parallel to those at Zimbabwe; hence it would appear that the
same influence was at work in Sardinia as in South Africa. In
Lucian’s _De Syria Dea_ we find a description of a temple at
Hierapolis, in Mesopotamia, in the propylæa of which, he tells
us (p. 16), ‘there stood two very large phalli, about thirty
cubits high.’ Our tower at Zimbabwe stood apparently twenty
cubits high, and ten in diameter. He further says (p. 29),
‘these phalli are solid, for when a priest had to ascend he had
to put a rope round himself and walk up.’”
Dr. Schlichter, 1898, remarks:—
“We have in the Great Zimbabwe an enormous gnomon (dial
calculating point) before us, comprising a total angle of
120°. Taking all the details into account, I found that the
obliquity of the ecliptic was somewhat more than 23° 52´, which
brings us (considering that we have a good Chinese observation
of the same period) to a time somewhat 1100 B.C. for the
erection of the Zimbabwe ruins.”[53]
THE PARALLEL PASSAGE
This passage, which is one of the most interesting features of ancient
architecture at Zimbabwe, is 220 ft. long, and extends from (329 ft.)
from the _West Entrance_ to (513 ft.) from the same point, and runs
along the inside of the east and north-east of the main wall of the
temple, that is, from the _Sacred Enclosure_ to the _North Entrance_ of
the temple.
The ancient priests could by means of this long, deep, and exceedingly
narrow passage reach the _Sacred Enclosure_ from the exterior of the
temple altogether unobserved, seeing that along its whole length it has
no communication with any other part of the interior of the temple. It
is therefore possible that this passage might have been exclusively
used by the ministers of the sacred rites. In it have been found the
bulk of the phalli yet discovered at Zimbabwe, and a number of both
plain and decorated phalli were found here in August, 1902, when the
débris which had covered its floor was being removed. The same surmise
might be made with regard to the purpose of the _Parallel Passage_ at
the _Western Temple_ on the _Acropolis_.
The summit of the main wall on the outer side throughout the length
of the passage averages from 28 ft. to 31 ft. above its present floor
(see _Tables of Measurements of Main Walls_). The inner parallel wall
varies in height, owing to dilapidations caused by past and present
trees. This wall averages from 8 ft. to 16 ft. in height. The long
and narrow passage between such high walls imparts a most weird and
romantic aspect to this portion of the temple. The high, magnificently
sweeping, and massive walls tower on either side for a considerable
distance on a bold masterly curve that displays in the well-built
and regular courses of the walls design and workmanship which always
strongly impress the modern builder with unfeigned surprise and wonder.
[Illustration: THE PARALLEL PASSAGE, FROM SOUTH, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE]
At the extremity near the _Sacred Enclosure_ the passage is 4 ft. wide,
but at 30 ft. further north-east it is 3 ft. 6 in. wide, at 55 ft. it
narrows to 2 ft. 6 in., which width is maintained for about 40 ft., at
the end of which it widens out owing to the inner parallel wall being
here built upon a comparatively straight line. At (440 ft.) it is 4 ft.
6 in. wide, at (460 ft.) 5 ft. 6 in. wide, at (480 ft.) 7 ft., and at
(513 ft.), which is its northern extremity, it narrows to 2 ft. 6 in.
Between (490 ft.) and (513 ft.) there is a large gap in the main wall,
where its inner face has collapsed into the passage. The bottom of the
gap is about 6 ft. above the present level of the passage floor.
[Illustration: _West Entrance to_ PARALLEL PASSAGE Elliptical Temple]
Between (349 ft.) and (362 ft.) the inner parallel wall has collapsed
into the passage, but the débris has now been cleared away. Between
(470 ft.) and (500 ft.) the inner wall has been reduced by falls to a
height of only 6 ft. 9 in.
The north wall of the _Sacred Enclosure_ (_east_) is continued for
55 ft. as the west wall of the passage. This section is obviously
a reconstruction of a later date, the joints with this wall and the
rest of the older and better-built wall at the south end can be seen
near the small conical tower in the _Sacred Enclosure_, the opposite
side of this joint being distinctly noticeable in _No. 11 Enclosure_.
The joint at the north-eastern end of this reconstructed section of
wall can be seen near (375 ft.), where the older wall recommences.
This less excellently reconstructed wall shows a far greater amount
of dilapidation than does the older portion. This circumstance is to
be noticed in more than a score of other instances of reconstruction
of lengths of older walls, the invariable experience in Zimbabwe
architecture being that the reconstructed portions are much less
lasting, although they are of later date, and these reconstructions
always show a depression in their summits at the joints with the older
portions of the wall.
The entrance into this passage from the _Sacred Enclosure_ is the east
entrance mentioned in the description of that enclosure, and is at (320
ft.). It is formed by rounded buttresses, 7 ft. high, on either side of
the passage. The entrance is 2 ft. 6 in. wide, 9 ft. long (including
the steps at either end), and has portcullis grooves of unusually large
size. It is approached from the _Sacred Enclosure_ by three large,
broad, and deep block steps, which are still in a very good state of
preservation, not one block being missing or even out of place. The
floor is excellently paved with blocks. On the passage side of the
entrance are three block steps also in a splendid condition, but these
are narrower, as the rounded foundation of the west buttress projects 7
in. into the passage further than the upper portion of the buttress.
Immediately inside this entrance, and against the base of the main
wall, is a raised level with rounded edges made of granite cement.
This is 7 ft. long, 1 ft. 10 in. wide, and 3 in. higher than cement
flooring, and 6 in. high at its north-east end above a step-down in the
floor. Between this raised cement level and the west wall of the
passage is a cemented floor 4 ft. 4 in. long, with a rounded face at
its north-east end, this face forming the step-down just mentioned. The
floor from this point northwards to (335 ft.) has been broken through
by excavators, but from (335 ft.) northwards to (425 ft.) the cement
flooring still remains intact. From (425 ft.) to the northern end of
the passage the floor has been torn up by explorers.
Evidently the ancients were thoroughly well versed in the art of
sanitation, for the lengths of cemented flooring are divided into
catchment areas, separated from each other by raised step-barriers 4
in. high, 3 ft. 10 in. broad, laid across the passage. These are made
of granite cement and have rounded edges. The floor has a slight fall
on either side of these raised barriers, and in the lowest part of
each area is a drain-hole passing through the main wall, the object
evidently being to divide up the rainfall so that each drain should
only have such a quantity of water as its capacity would allow it to
carry off. The drain-holes passing outwards and downwards through the
main walls are at (352 ft.), (391 ft. 6 in.), (442 ft.), and (471 ft.).
These are believed to have once been lined with yellow granite cement.
It is possible that other drains from this passage-way may yet be found.
Near (396 ft.) is a drain-hole leading into the passage from _No. 14
Enclosure_.
The floor at the extreme north end of the passage has not yet been
uncovered, as it would be unsafe to remove any more depth of soil owing
to the threatening condition of the wall at the gap before mentioned.
Near (338 ft.) is a flat granite beam 6 ft. long, which has evidently
fallen from the summit of the main wall.
The _Parallel Passage_ and _Sacred Enclosure_ were used by old and
recent generations of Makalanga as places in which to deposit their
ash, pottery, iron, and bone débris, and this was found in places to
a height of 3 ft. and 4 ft. The bones were of animals, mostly of buck,
but some of oxen, and all had been split open for the marrow, as is
usually found to be the case in all Makalanga débris heaps whether at
any ruins or at their villages. Being sunless and damp these two places
for occupation purposes appear to have been avoided by them.
[Illustration: SOUTH ENTRANCE TO PARALLEL PASSAGE, LOOKING SOUTH,
ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE]
[Illustration: PART OF PLATFORM AREA, LOOKING WEST, SHEWING DRAIN FROM
No. 10 ENCLOSURE, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE]
CHAPTER XIII
THE ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE
(_Continued_)
The Platform—Enclosures Nos. 9 to 15—Central area—Platform
area—Inner Parallel Passage—South Passage—West
Passage—North-East Passage—Outer Parallel Passage.
8a. THE PLATFORM
This is a raised platform standing immediately in front of the
_Conical Tower_ at a distance of 4 ft. from north to north-west. The
proximity of this structure to the _Conical Tower_, its position in
front of it, its summit commanding a view of the interior of the
temple, particularly of the interior of the _Sacred Enclosure_, its
peculiar form as compared with other structures in the temple, and the
excellent workmanship displayed in its walls, as well as the decoration
of green chlorite schist on its east wall, would appear to show that
it possessed some highly important significance in the minds of the
ancient worshippers. So much is this so that visitors most frequently
remark that this structure must have been the “pulpit” from which the
priests addressed the crowd of worshippers.
_The Platform_ possesses no angular feature. Its plan is oval, the
entrance is rounded, and the curves of the walls are excellently worked
out. The southern and eastern half of this building now only remains
intact, the northern half, though still traceable, having been pushed
over northwards by a huge tree.
The inside area of the southern half is 14 ft. from north to south, and
16 ft. from east to west. The heights of its sides are as follows: east
side, 9 ft. from granite cement step on floor of _No. 11 Enclosure_;
west side, 10 ft. above floor of _No. 9 Enclosure_, including 3 ft.
height of terraced wall; south side, 12 ft. above floor of _Sacred
Enclosure_ (_west_), and 11 ft. from top of “blind steps” in the same
enclosure; the north side is ruined. The wall on its present summit is
from 2 ft. to 2 ft. 6 in. wide.
On the inside, and at a height of from 2 ft. to 4 ft. below the summit
of the wall, is a raised platform 2 ft. wide running round the inside
of the wall. This platform, which, in fact, is banquette work, is
paved with stones, and these are covered with granite cement. This
banquette was approached by well steps ascending up in the centre of
the interior, and these were made of blocks covered with granite cement.
The entrance to _The Platform_ is on the north-east side, but only one
side is now remaining. It is 9 ft. high and is rounded. The large upper
granite cement step on the floor of _No. 11 Enclosure_ led up to this
entrance. The decorative pattern on the outer face of the north-east
wall is described in the account of _No. 11 Enclosure_.
This _Platform_ appears to have served an identical purpose as that of
the elevated _Platform_ at the _Western Temple_ on the _Acropolis_, and
as that of the _Ancient Balcony_ which commands the interior of the
_Eastern Temple_ on _Zimbabwe Hill_.
Bent stated that in 1891 a tall unhewn granite monolith stood erect
immediately north of _The Platform_, but there is no trace now of its
existence, and several old residents of Victoria say it must have
disappeared before they first visited the ruins.[54] The positions
of all three of the platforms suggest some purpose in the ancient
religious services.
NO. 9 ENCLOSURE
This enclosure lies to the north of the western end of _Sacred
Enclosure_ (_west_), to the east of _No. 7 Enclosure_, to the west
of _The Platform_, and to the south of the south passage to _No. 10
Enclosure_ and of _No. 10 Enclosure_.
Its area is: north side, 26 ft; west side, 26 ft.; east side, 42 ft.;
and south side, 24 ft.
The south side is formed by the wall dividing this enclosure from
_Sacred Enclosure_ (_west_), and this is 9 ft. high, and shows the two
classes of building as does the opposite side. The west side for 6 ft.
from its south end is formed by a wall of this length, and which is 6
ft. high. This wall at its northern end terminates abruptly and leans
northwards, being supported by a bank of soil débris. The rest of this
side is formed by the bank of soil débris as far as the south passage
to _No. 10 Enclosure_. The north side is formed by the south wall of
that passage and of _No. 10 Enclosure_. The passage wall is 6 ft. high,
and the enclosure wall 8 ft. high. The east side for 14 ft. from the
south end is formed by _The Platform_, and a terraced wall projecting
westwards for from 5 ft. to 7 ft. The rest of the eastern side was an
open space, until recently covered with soil débris.
An entrance from _Sacred Enclosure_ (_west_) is in the south-west
corner, and this is described in the account of that enclosure. This
entrance on the north side has two stone steps covered with granite
cement. The entrance from _No. 10 Enclosure_ is described in the
account of the passage to that enclosure.
At the south side there is a mass of granite cement rendered shapeless
by roots of trees and creepers, and also considerably decomposed by
annual accumulations of rain-water, as this is the lowest part of the
enclosure. Traces of rounded faces can be seen at several points in
this cement.
On the eastern side the floor is made of granite cement. This is only
4 in. thick, and underneath it are several thin layers of floors made
of granite cement.
It is believed that the angle between _The Platform_ and the south wall
once held “blind steps.” The quantity of decomposed granite cement
found in this corner, together with traces of two steps on the terraced
wall, rather confirms this belief.
NO. 10 ENCLOSURE
This enclosure lies on the north side of _No. 7 Enclosure_. Until
August, 1902, nothing was known concerning it, nor could it have been
examined during the last fifty years. The Makalanga, as previously
stated, whose last occupation of the temple as a kraal was some sixty
years ago, had filled it in with stones and rubble and laid a common
clay floor over the filling-in, as was their usual practice in almost
all the ancient ruins in Rhodesia which they occupied. On this clay
floor was built a circular hut of clay. The filling-in completely
buried portions of the walls of the enclosure.
In addition to this filling-in, the area had been used as a
dumping-ground for soil excavated from neighbouring enclosures, and
so much so that the soil heap was at least 6 ft. higher than the
filling-in by the Makalanga, and it contained some twenty-five tons of
soil, all of which has now been removed.
In form the enclosure has the shape of a quarter of a section of a
circle, the square sides being on the south and west.
The south side is 27 ft. 6 in. long, the south entrance to this
enclosure being at 20 ft. to 23 ft. from the west end. The south wall
is the divisional wall between _No. 7 Enclosure_ and this enclosure.
It is massive and very well built, and is still from 6 ft. to 7 ft. in
height.
The west side is 31 ft. 6 in. in length. The first 21 ft. from its
south end is well built, and is in a good state of preservation save
for a reduction in its summit. It is 4 ft. wide at present level of
ground. The northern extremity of the 21-ft. length is rounded. The
wall at its southern end is 8 ft. high, but for 10 ft. at its northern
end it averages only 4 ft. to 5 ft. in height. At 21 ft. to 23 ft.
along the west side of the enclosure is the western entrance, the
northern side of which is formed by a rounded buttress, now only 2 ft.
in height. The rest of the wall towards the north is very dilapidated.
The east side, which curves outwards towards the east, measures 40 ft.
along the face of the wall. The length of 27 ft. from the north end is
formed by a wall of this length, which is 3 ft. to 4 ft. high and 3 ft.
wide. This wall is obviously of poor and late construction as compared
with the west and south wall of this enclosure, and crosses in the
middle of its length, at right angles, an old substantial foundation
running east and west. The foundation of the upper wall is laid on the
block and soil débris on the summit of the buried wall. Probably this
buried wall was the north side of this enclosure at a lower level, and
this would have once made the enclosure square in form. The eastern
wall terminates at its south end with an angular buttress 2 ft. 6 in.
wide, which protrudes westerly 16 in. into the enclosure, where it
terminates abruptly in a broken end. From the 27-ft. point to the sound
end of the wall is a very well-built substantial wall 4 ft. 6 in. wide
at base, but for 5 ft. from its north end it is 1 ft. only above the
present floor, but for the rest of its length it is 6 ft. in height.
Where the wall so rises in height it is rounded across the wall, and
this may have been the south side of an eastern entrance into the
enclosure.
Though this enclosure has been cleared, the coarse red clay of the
Makalanga still remains in the centre of the area, but in the angles of
this enclosure and along its south side is some yellow granite cement
of a far greater age.
On the yellow granite cement a quantity of what appear to have
been gold-burnishing tools were found. All these were originally
water-worn, but showed signs of having been artificially worn as tools.
Five of these showed gold richly on the sides used for burnishing,
others also showed gold. This was the only enclosure in this temple
where such tools were found, and the number of them discovered at and
near one spot suggests that this enclosure was in pre-Kafir occupation
days a gold-burnisher’s workshop, just as _No. 7 Enclosure_ was
evidently a goldsmith’s workshop, while for corresponding reasons _No.
6 Enclosure_ was a chief place for the smelting of gold. A quantity
of pottery made of soapstone clay, the first of such pottery yet
discovered, was found in this enclosure.
SOUTH APPROACH TO NO. 10 ENCLOSURE
This is formed by a passage 10 ft. long, which enters this enclosure
at its south-east corner. It is probable that this passage was much
longer, and that it once extended to the north-west corner of the
_Sacred Enclosure_, where is an entrance facing the passage.
The west side of the passage is formed by a wall 14 ft. 6 in. long, 4
ft. high, and 3 ft. 6 in. on its present reduced summit, which wall is
also the east wall of _No. 7 Enclosure_.
On the east side is a very well-built wall 10 ft. 6 in. long, 4 ft.
6 in. high, and 3 ft. wide on its present summit, with a finely
constructed rounded end tapering upwards and facing south. The rounded
end is 7 ft. high, and rises from the floor of _No. 9 Enclosure_, which
is on the east side but on a lower level.
The south end of the passage is 4 ft. wide, but the north end is 6 ft.
6 in. wide, but is narrowed to 2 ft. 6 in. by a rounded buttress 4 ft.
6 in. high, and this and the rounded wall opposite, which forms the
other side of the entrance, have upright portcullis-like grooves.
The floor of the passage is paved with flat shallow stones covered for
2 in. in depth with granite cement.
NO. 11 ENCLOSURE
This immediately adjoins on the north side of _Sacred Enclosure_
(_east_). On the west side it is bounded by _The Platform_, on the east
by a large rounded buttress which separates it from _No. 12 Enclosure_,
but its northern boundary, if any, is at present difficult to determine.
Through this enclosure is the northern entrance to the _Sacred
Enclosure_, and this entrance is within 8 ft. of the north face of the
_Conical Tower_. Evidently both from its close proximity to the _Sacred
Enclosure_, the _Tower_, and _The Platform_, the ancient occupiers
considered this enclosure to be of importance, and the splendid
construction of the massive steps leading toward the tower would appear
to further confirm the correctness of this conjecture.
The area is, south side 18 ft.; west 14 ft.; east 14 ft.; and north 17
ft.
The wall on the south side is 13 ft. high at its western end, but
is reduced by dilapidation to 6 ft. at the entrance to the _Sacred
Enclosure_. At its highest point are five parallel horizontal bands
of green chlorite schist[55] separated from each other by two courses
of granite blocks. This wall is excellently built, and most patently
differs in style and excellence of construction from the same wall
which also forms the southern side of _No. 12 Enclosure_, and the
difference strongly suggests that during the later ancient occupation
the part of the wall which was continued into the adjoining enclosure
fell down and was rebuilt only in a poorer style. This can also be seen
on the opposite face of the wall in the _Sacred Enclosure_.
The wall on the west side is the outer face of the east wall of _The
Platform_. This is 9 ft. high, measuring from the granite cement step
at its base, and 10 ft. long. At the north end of this wall, which is
rounded, is the approach to the summit of _The Platform_. On the face
of this wall, and starting from the entrance to the _Sacred Enclosure_,
is a decoration of seven parallel and horizontal rows of green chlorite
schist, with two courses of granite blocks between each. Each row
begins close up to the entrance, but all terminate towards the north of
the wall, each lower row extending some 6 in. more north than the one
above it.
On the east side the rounded buttress projects 6 ft. 6 in. from the
south wall, and is still 4 ft. 6 in. high, and 11 ft. long measuring
towards the east. This length may be divided into two portions, the
eastern part which is angular and of poor construction, being in all
probability a later erection to support the joint in the superior and
poorer portions of the south wall, also the western portion already
described. On the north side of this buttress is a granite cement floor
raised 4 in. above the floor of the enclosure, and the step is rounded
along its edge. The western and northern sides of this buttress were
once faced with granite cement 3 in. thick in the form of a dado. A
portion of this cement still remains on the north side, and the quality
of the cement is identical with the cement found in dado fashion on the
faces of other walls in the temple and on the _Acropolis_. The eastern
addition to this buttress does not appear ever to have had a cemented
dado.
The most striking features of this enclosure are its most excellent
granite cement floor and its massive rounded steps. Until October,
1902, this enclosure was filled up to a height of 5 ft. above the
present opened-out floors. The lowest strata of filling-in, 2 ft.
thick, had been made by rains washing in the soil from adjoining and
higher enclosures, the drain-hole through the south wall having become
blocked. There was no vegetable matter in this stratum. The stratum
of filling-in above the lowest one was a deliberate filling-in and
levelling-up by Makalanga of a very early period, for this débris
contained articles such as pottery, assegai-heads, clay whorls, which,
though strongly resembling those of the present Makalanga pattern, were
of a somewhat better quality than those made by them either to-day or
within the last few generations. This stratum of filling-in was done
at one and the same time, for the line of stratification was perfect
and unbroken. Above this stratum was one of ordinary _daga_ (clay) and
not cement, and this contained articles more closely resembling those
of present Makalanga make, but this stratum must have been filled in,
judging by the quantity of débris found, more than seventy years ago,
for according to local native accounts it was fully seventy years ago
when the Makalanga ceased to occupy the _Elliptical Temple_ as a place
of residence, though sacrifices of oxen on certain feast days, as
mentioned by Mauch, Phillips, and Bent, and local chiefs, took place in
the temple down to thirty years ago, if not somewhat later. Above this
stratum and forming the surface was a stratum of very rich leaf mould
about 18 in. thick, and this was matted with vegetable growth.
[Illustration: SOUTH WALL WITH PATTERN, No. 11 ENCLOSURE, ELLIPTICAL
TEMPLE]
[Illustration: JOINT BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND RECONSTRUCTED WALLS, Nos. 11
& 12 ENCLOSURE, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE]
On digging out the roots of a large parent monkey-rope tree, which
had done considerable damage to the south wall of this enclosure, and
which tree appears in all the old photographs of the _Conical Tower_,
a section of an ancient floor was discovered at a depth of 5 ft. Some
twenty tons of filling-in were removed, and the whole of the cement
floor as seen to-day was exposed. The old visitors’ path crossed this
enclosure 5 ft. above this cement floor.
The cement work in this enclosure is most excellent, hardly a scratch
being seen upon its surface. It is the finest and most perfect specimen
yet found either at Zimbabwe or any ancient ruin in Rhodesia. The
granite powder in the cement is so firmly set that picks cannot make
any impression upon it. This flooring averages 18 in. to 2 ft. in
thickness, and must rest on a splendid foundation, for the levels of
the floor are almost true to this day.
A large cement step runs north and south at 2 ft. from the west side.
This is 14 in. high and 5 ft. long, but originally, according to its
curve and traces of its continuation, 7 ft. long. The step which has a
rounded edge forms the lower portion of the approach to _The Platform_.
A second step runs from north to south at 5 ft. from the front of the
first step, and slightly curves out eastwards. This step is 12 ft.
high, 11 ft. 6 in. long, and has a boldly rounded edge. The floor has a
slight fall to the south-east corner, where is a drain-hole which has
its exit near the small tower in _Sacred Enclosure_ (_east_).
The entrance to the _Sacred Enclosure_, which is in the south-west
corner of this enclosure, is 2 ft. 6 in. wide, is rounded, and has
portcullis grooves on either side.
NO. 12 ENCLOSURE
This immediately adjoins _No. 11 Enclosure_ on its north-east side.
Its east wall for 28 ft. is formed by west wall of _Sacred Enclosure_
(_east_), and for 21 ft. by the west wall of _Parallel Passage_. These
walls are one, and curve outwards towards the east to the extent of 6
ft. from a line drawn from end to end of the wall in this enclosure.
This east wall is 49 ft. long and 10 ft. high, and from the angular
buttress at the south-west corner has a banquette wall, 4 ft. high,
projecting 1 ft. 6 in., and continued north-east for 32 ft. from the
buttress. This wall is of inferior construction to the same wall on
the east side of _No. 11 Enclosure_, the courses being most irregular,
the stones ill-sorted, and there is no decoration on its face. The
north-eastern portion is reduced to 3 ft. 6 in. in height for a length
of 17 ft., the upper portion having fallen into _Parallel Passage_. The
angular buttress in the south-west corner appears to have been built at
a later period, when the west wall of _Sacred Enclosure_ (_east_) was
rebuilt, for the buttress covers the joint between the original portion
and the later portion, as if to strengthen the wall at this point.
The north side for 12 ft. is formed by a wall of this length, which
is 4 ft. high and 3 ft. 6 in. wide on its present summit. But it is
impossible at present to define either the western boundary or those of
the remainder of the north and south sides, owing to the fact that all
divisional walls in this portion of the temple have been covered over
and buried during the period of some later occupiers.
In the angle formed by the east and south sides is a platform 6 ft.
high and 11 ft. wide, which is approached by five steps, the platform
and the steps being covered with granite cement. Similar steps and
platforms are found in the angles of other enclosures both in the
_Elliptical Temple_ and in the ruins on the Acropolis. These are all
remarkably alike in position, dimensions, and construction, and all
appear to have answered an identical purpose. The sizes of the steps,
the nearness of the lowest step to the walls preclude the suggestion
that they were flights on the summits of the walls. (See _Blind
Steps_—_Architecture_.)
A drain passes under the small platform and it has cement rims to lead
the water to it.
NO. 13 ENCLOSURE
This adjoins _No. 12 Enclosure_ on the north side, the west side of the
inner wall of the _Parallel Passage_ forming its eastern boundary for
25 ft. 6 in. This wall is 5 ft. high for 18 ft. from the south end of
the enclosure, and 11 ft. 6 in. high for the last 7 ft. of its northern
end.
The south side is formed for 12 ft. by the wall separating this
enclosure from _No. 12_, but _No. 13_ being at a lower level, this wall
is 6 ft. high from the present filled-in surface of the enclosure.
The north and north-west side is formed by a wall 32 ft. long, with a
rounded entrance from _No. 14 Enclosure_ between the 21-ft. and 23-ft.
points of this length, measuring from the east end of this wall. The
wall is fairly well built at its eastern end, where it is still 4 ft.
high and 3 ft. 6 in. to 4 ft. wide on its present reduced summit. This
wall is built upon a red cement foundation. The south-west end of the
wall is very dilapidated, but appears to have been originally of good
construction. [Owing to piles of soil débris on the south-west side of
this enclosure, it is impossible at present to define the exact limits
on that side, but the shape of the enclosure is that of a keystone, its
widest and rounded end being on the east side.]
NO. 14 ENCLOSURE
This enclosure, which is on the east side of the temple, is where the
_Inner Parallel Passage_ opens into the interior of the building. The
area is 47 ft. from north to south, and 42 ft. east to west. It is open
on the north and west sides where it adjoins _No. 15 Enclosure_ and the
_Central Area_ respectively.
The east side is formed by the south entrance to _Inner Parallel
Passage_ by the large buttress, 7 ft. high, projecting into, and
forming, the south side of the entrance to that passage, and by a
length of 17 ft. of the west wall of the large _Parallel Passage_ which
is here 14 ft. high.
The south side is bounded by the divisional wall, 5 ft. high, between
this enclosure and _No. 13 Enclosure_. In this wall is a rounded
entrance between the two enclosures.
The west side is open to the interior of the temple, but at 42 ft. in
that direction there are traces of a wall running north and south which
probably formed its west side.
The north side was once formed by a wall of which traces can yet be
seen, and which once divided this enclosure from _No. 15 Enclosure_.
Projecting from the north face of the south wall are the remains of
a sub-divisional wall. Several large, rounded structures of cement
are on the south-west side of the enclosure. The topmost floor of the
enclosure is made of a pinkish-coloured clay, which evidently has been
burnt. Under this floor was found sections of carved soapstone beams,
a few pieces of beaten gold, and other relics. On the surface of this
floor only superior-made native articles were found, and the floor was
covered by at least 2 ft. of rich black vegetable mould. Several trees
which were growing in this enclosure have recently been removed.
NO. 15 ENCLOSURE
From an archæological point of view this enclosure is one of the most
interesting compartments in the temple, for here are to be seen several
layers of floors of a succession of occupiers each for a long period of
time.
In 1903 this enclosure was found to be filled in with soil, ashes, and
bones to a depth of 12 ft., and on the top was a large tree at least
seventy to a hundred years old. When this great body of filling-in
was cleared away several most interesting architectural features were
revealed.
The area is 56 ft. from east to west, and at its widest point 18 ft.
from north to south. The east, north, and west sides are formed by the
south wall of the _Inner Parallel Passage_, and by a continuation of
the same wall which curves outwards towards the north-west and forms
the south wall of the _South Passage_. This wall is 12 ft. high all
round and is well and massively built, the curve at the north-west end
being exceedingly well carried out. A drain passes through the east end
of the wall and opens into the _Inner Parallel Passage_.
The south side is formed by two walls and a series of semi-circular
cement buttresses. The first or western end wall is rounded, being 7
ft. round the face and 8 ft. high. A straight wall joins on to the
rounded length, and is 6 ft. 6 in. long and 7 ft. high. This length
has a drain-hole passing through it from the passage which forms
the eastern approach to the _South Passage_. A large rounded cement
buttress follows the two walls, and this is 14 ft. long and 7 ft. high.
A length of a few feet of soil showing several floors at different
heights is on the east side of the cement buttress, and another rounded
cement buttress, 3 ft. high, completes the boundary of the enclosure on
the south side.
The lowest of the floors is formed of paving stones and granite cement,
and the level of this is flush with the bottom course of blocks in the
drain. But underneath this undoubtedly old floor, which was apparently
laid down when the east wall was built, there are cement steps and
buttresses at a depth of some 18 in. below the level of the drain.
Underneath the floor were found two phalli, fragments of ornamented
bowls and soapstone beams, clearly showing that the space underneath
this lowest floor had been occupied before the floor was laid.
A floor of a pinkish-coloured cement, similar to that found in other
enclosures, is at some distance above the granite cement floor, and on
this floor were found very old native articles and quantities of buck
bones and ashes. Above this are floors of thin _daga_ (clay), and on
each of these were also bones and ashes and native articles which are
not now manufactured.
The position of the east wall of this enclosure and the fact of its
covering some older enclosure seem to point to it as not being a
portion of the original building.
CENTRAL AREA
This area of unexplored ground lies at the centre of the temple. It was
originally very much larger, but recent excavations have reduced it in
extent. The space covered is 80 ft. from east to west, and 30 ft. from
north to south, and it extends between _Nos. 5 and 14 Enclosures_, and
_Nos. 1 and 10 Enclosures_.
[Illustration: S.E. INTERIOR OF ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE, LOOKING N.N.E.,
SHEWING EXCAVATIONS ON PLATFORM AREA, 1902–4]
Some plans of the temple show dotted lines to mark position of
conjectured walls, but most of these have been found not to exist. On
the surface of the highest portion of this area are slight walls of
shallow foundations and poor construction built across soil and blocks
thrown promiscuously together, and probably the blocks and the debris
of some buried structures at a lower level.
PLATFORM AREA
Immediately in front of and adjoining the _Sacred Enclosure_ in which
stands the _Conical Tower_, and overlooked by _The Platform_, is
a large open area in the form of a bow, the rounded side—east and
south-east—being formed by _No. 9 Enclosure_, _The Platform_, and _Nos.
11, 12, and 13 Enclosures_, while the straight side, from south-west
to north-east, is formed by _Nos. 7 and 10 Enclosures_, a circular
platform, and _No. 13 Enclosure_.
The area covered by this open space is 126 ft. from south-west to
north-east and 51 ft. from east to west. This space had not been
previously examined by any modern explorer. Nor does any published plan
of the temple attempt to deal with it, it having been always left as an
unmarked space.
Bent found a similarity between _The Platform_ which overlooks this
area from its east side and the _Agora_ or platform-pulpit of the
ancient temples in the Near East to which references are so frequently
made in classic history, and he considered that this platform at
Zimbabwe, especially in view of its position in front of the _Conical
Tower_, was used for religious purposes, and that the open space
immediately at its foot and in front of it most probably held the
crowd of worshippers that might have been addressed from the elevated
_Platform_.
The examination of this area in 1903 shows that Bent in 1891 made a
very shrewd conjecture as to the nature of the area. Over twelve years
ago and until 1903 the space held out a prospect of its containing
under its surface any number of walls, for in the Elliptical Temple
divisional walls and other structures are closely packed together.
Now that the space for 126 ft. by 51 ft. has been cleared to a depth
of from 4 ft. to 8 ft. following the lines of old cement floors which
were completely buried, the space is shown to be actually an open area
without walls or traces of walls of any sort crossing it at any point.
Excepting such granite blocks as lined the bases of the boundary walls
of this area, not ten hundred-weight of blocks were found, and these
were scattered about at different heights and in almost every position
in the soil débris which was removed.
In excavating this large space down to the floor which runs throughout
the area at a similar level—a work occupying, forty native labourers
for three months—“finds” of any antique character were only made on the
cleared floor and not in the soil débris which was removed, and all
such relics which included fragments of both plain and carved soapstone
beams, gold plates, beads and wire, were about equally distributed over
the whole area.
The most important architectural features disclosed in the clearing of
this area were as follows:—
Drain from _No. 10 Enclosure_ into this area.
A rounded terrace wall on the west side of _The Platform_.
Excellent granite cement dado work, several square feet being still
intact.
Two massive granite cement steps leading up to the north entrance to
the _Sacred Enclosure_.
The large granite cement steps leading up to the small platform in the
angle formed by the north and east walls of _No. 12 Enclosure_.
Drain-hole in buttress in _No. 12 Enclosure_ with large cement guides
to lead water to it.
The suggestion made in description of the slight and poorly built
east wall of _No. 10 Enclosure_ that it was of later construction is
confirmed.
[Illustration: CIRCULAR CEMENT PLATFORM WITH STEPS AND CARVED SOAPSTONE
BEAMS, DISCOVERED 1903, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE]
[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO INNER PARALLEL PASSAGE FROM SOUTH PASSAGE,
ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE]
Circular granite cement platform with steps leading to summit.
This last-mentioned structure is worthy of more than a mere mention;
as apart from its excellent construction and its position, its summit
was found to be covered with soapstone beams, plain and decorated,
while fragments of beams were lying all round its base. Near this spot
numerous soapstone phalli, including one of very large size, were
discovered.
This platform is 69 ft., N. 20, from the north face of the _Conical
Tower_ measured through the centre of the north entrance to the _Sacred
Enclosure_. It has a circumference of 30 ft. 6 in., and is from 2 ft.
4 in. to 2 ft. 8 in. in height, with a rounded bevel at base 3 in.
high and projecting 6 in. There are two boldly rounded steps, each 8
in. high, on the east side, and on the east side of the steps is a low
cement parapet. This platform occupies a somewhat isolated position.
Its summit was found to be buried for at least 2 ft. in soil. Close to
the north side was a large tree, judged to have been almost one hundred
years old. The roots of the tree had arched over and also encircled
the structure, and so had preserved it. The roots had attempted to
penetrate the cement, but failing to do so they passed completely round
its face, and when cut away they were almost all semi-circular in shape.
INNER PARALLEL PASSAGE
This passage lies between the main _Parallel Passage_ and _No. 15
Enclosure_. It runs north-west to south-east from the _South Passage_
near the _North Entrance_ to the temple into _No. 15 Enclosure_, and
is parallel with _Parallel Passage_. The three parallel walls forming
the two passages are generally known as the _Triple Walls_. Whereas
the _Parallel Passage_ led from the _North Entrance_ to the _Sacred
Enclosure_ only, this leads from near the _North Entrance_ right into
the interior of the temple.
Its length is 71 ft., and at its eastern end it is 7 ft. wide for a
short distance, but rapidly closes in to a width of 3 ft. 6 in., which
is maintained throughout the greatest part of its remaining length.
The north-eastern wall is the south-western wall of the _Parallel
Passage_, and from the eastern end for 29 ft. this wall averages in
height 12 ft. to 14 ft. above the present floor of the passage, and
from the 29-ft. point to 67 ft. the face of the wall is damaged by
roots, and the height here is only 7 ft.
The south-western side is formed by the wall dividing this passage from
_No. 15 Enclosure_. It averages 10 ft. in height, and is well and very
substantially built. On this side, at 32 ft. from the eastern end, is a
drain leading from _No. 15 Enclosure_.
The western entrance to this passage has on the north-eastern side a
rounded buttress 5 ft. high, 6 ft. long, and protruding 1 ft. 10 in.
from the face of the wall. This buttress has a portcullis groove, but
this has recently been built up in order to strengthen the buttress.
On the opposite side there are traces only of a corresponding buttress
in the shape of some foundation stones, and there are also signs that
there were once steps extending from buttress to buttress.
It is probable that the ancient floor was only a few inches below the
present cleared-out floor, as what appear to be paving stones, together
with small sections of granite floor, can be seen outcropping at
several points along the passage, but vine and tree roots have lifted
the rest of the stones out of place.
At the eastern end is a large, substantial, and well-constructed
rounded buttress protruding 9 ft. towards south-west from the
north-eastern side of the passage, where it here opens on to _No. 14
Enclosure_. This buttress gives the passage-way a turn south at almost
right angles. This buttress is from 4 ft. to 10 ft. in height on its
front face, but 21 ft. at its rear, and this buttress forms part of the
boundary of _No. 14 Enclosure_.
[Illustration: EAST WALL, No. 11 ENCLOSURE, WITH PATTERN, ELLIPTICAL
TEMPLE]
[Illustration: INNER PARALLEL PASSAGE, LOOKING EAST, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE]
It is possible that this buttress which is hollow, and to which there
are traces of an entrance from the passage, once enclosed steps leading
on to the summit of the wall between the _Parallel Passage_ and the
_Inner Parallel Passage_.[56] Certainly the way the stone débris inside
the buttress has fallen tends to support this conjecture.
SOUTH PASSAGE
This passage appears to have been the main artery leading from the main
and _North Entrance_ of the temple right into the central portion of
the building, where it has its terminus. It is 68 ft. long from the
broad step on the south side of the _North Entrance_ to the steps at
the south end of the passage.
For 23 ft. from the north end where is the broad step there is an
almost triangular area, 23 ft. from north to south, and 30 ft. from
east to west, having its base on the north side. The western end of
_Inner Parallel Passage_ enters it at the eastern corner, and the
entrance from _No. 3 Enclosure_ is at its western corner. The heights
of the walls forming this area are: north side being the south wall of
the _Parallel Passage_, 15 ft.; south-west side being the north-east
wall of _No. 1 Enclosure_, 12 ft.; the west side being the divisional
wall between the area and _No. 3 Enclosure_, 6 ft.; the east and south
being the wall dividing the area from _No. 15 Enclosure_, 12 ft. All
these walls are well built and are very substantial.
In the centre of this area is a raised platform, commencing at 9 ft.
from the north side of the area and terminating at 21 ft. from the same
point, thus giving it a length of 12 ft. It is 9 ft. 6 in. wide and 3
ft. high, and has granite cement covering, where not broken, the whole
summit. An old euphorbia tree was found growing out of this cement,
its roots having played havoc with the side walls of the platform, the
best portion now remaining facing the north-east side. The tree has now
been removed. This platform is approached by three large granite cement
steps, the two lower ones still being in a fair condition. These steps
are each 12 in. high, and from front to back are from 10 in. to 12 in.,
while they are 2 ft. 6 in. wide, and are rounded on the edges.
The most peculiar circumstance about this platform is that under a
foot depth of vegetable mould which completely covered it and rendered
the platform shapeless, and lying on the surface of the cement floor,
were found some hundred-weights of bones of oxen. There were no bones
other than those of oxen, and the bones had not been split open for the
marrow, as is so frequently found to be the case in very old Makalanga
débris heaps. Nor were any broken pottery, iron implements, or iron and
brass bangles, such as are most usually found together in such débris,
to be seen, but carbonised wood was found in large quantities.
It should be remembered that Mauch and others of the early writers on
Zimbabwe state that they had witnessed sacrifices by the Makalanga of
those days of black oxen in the _Elliptical Temple_, and the local
natives also state that this was their practice up to within the last
fifteen years. Possibly this was the spot where these sacrifices took
place, for though Thomas Baines in a painting he made of one of these
ceremonies places the _Conical Tower_ in the background, there are no
signs anywhere near that structure that such sacrifices ever took place
in its immediate vicinity, all of which has now been cleared of débris
down to the cement floor at every point where the _Conical Tower_ could
possibly have formed a background for such a ceremony. It is now almost
certain that Baines painted this and other pictures of Zimbabwe from
the descriptions given him by Renders, Phillips, and Mauch. But in the
south-western end of the _Parallel Passage_ for about 20 ft. or 30 ft.
from its exit into the _Sacred Enclosure_ (_east_) the débris was very
mixed, and included bones of oxen and buck, the larger bones all split
open. Probably this was one of the spots in the temple where these
annual sacrifices of black oxen by Makalangas took place.
The platform faces the north, the steps being on the south-east side.
The area containing this platform was evidently once laid with granite
cement, but sections of it only remain in the western corner and on its
north-east side. A drain-hole leading into the _Parallel Passage_ is at
6 ft. east of the broad steps ascending from this area to the _North
Entrance_. This step is 11 ft. broad.
At 23 ft. south from its north end the area narrows to 3 ft. 10
in., which width is maintained for 18 ft., the passage for this
length running between _No. 16 Enclosure_ on the east side and _No.
1 Enclosure_ on its west side. At this point in this section of the
passage a large flat slab of granite has been banked up with stones to
keep the upper portion of the wall on the west from collapsing into the
passage. The walls here on either side are from 7 ft. to 10 ft. high.
At 43 ft. south from the north end of the passage are two entrances,
the one from the west being from _No. 1 Enclosure_, and this is
angular, while the other facing it on the east being from a short
passage on the south side of _No. 16 Enclosure_, is rounded, and has
portcullis grooves. From the 43-ft. point the width of the passage is
2 ft. 8 in., but at its southern extremity it is increased during the
last few feet to 4 ft. 10 in. The side walls are very well built, and
are still in a good state of preservation. The entrance at the south
end of the passage has a rounded buttress with portcullis groove on
either side leaving a width of 3 ft. This entrance has five large stone
steps practically perfect. The buttresses are 5 ft. high.
WEST PASSAGE
This passage lies on the west side of the interior of the temple, and
is between _Nos. 4 and 5 Enclosures_ on the west and _No. 1 Enclosure_
and _Central Area_ on the east. It runs north and south, and is formed
on the west side by a massive and well-built wall, which is in the form
of an arc; the length of the inside face of the wall being 65 ft., and
that of the line drawn from extremity to extremity of the wall being 57
ft., and this passes at 8 ft. from the inner face at the centre of the
curve westwards.
This large curved wall is independent of any other structure, and
stands entirely by itself. It is clearly the best-constructed wall in
the western half of the temple, and the excellent workmanship displayed
in the regularity of the courses, the bold and well-executed curve, and
its immense width, at once strike the attention of anyone who enters
the temple at the western portal. Its width is 8 ft. at 6 ft. above the
ground, and its height ranges from 6 ft. to 10 ft.
The position and character of this wall induced Bent to conjecture that
this arc was one of the proofs that the entire temple was a “multiform
temple,” such as are found in South-West Asia, and these “little
temples ... were dedicated to the cult of particular stars.” Bent
considered that the massive and well-built curved walls in _Enclosures
Nos. 7 and 15_ were also employed for particular observations
independently of the great temple itself. At the time Bent made this
conjecture he was unaware that up against the centre of the inner face
of this curved wall was a platform raised some 4 ft. above the level
of the ground, and of the numerous relics of the older type found at
and near it, or that there were originally three granite monoliths once
standing parallel with, and at equal distance from, the west face of
this wall. These discoveries have only just recently been made, as well
as other corresponding discoveries in the other two enclosures which
Bent took to be minor temples. Each of the monoliths is 29 ft. from the
west face of the wall, and each is 9 ft. apart.
At its south end the passage is 10 ft. wide, at the north end it
narrows to 4 ft., but at its centre it averages a width of 10 ft. to 12
ft.
The east side of the passage is formed for 49 ft. from the north end
by the wall of _No. 1 Enclosure_, which here appears to be of poorer
and later construction, also by a roughly built wall, 11 ft. long,
with foundation some 4 ft. above the foundation of the wall of _No. 1
Enclosure_, and by a rounded buttress, 12 ft. length of facing and 7
ft. high, which has its foundation on the platform which overlooks the
west curved wall.
The platform, which is of cement, once had retaining walls at two
levels, and portions of these still remain.
NORTH-EAST PASSAGE[57]
This passage is on the north-east side of the temple and immediately
outside the _North Entrance_, running north-east at right angles from
the main wall between that entrance and [590 ft.]. Its total length
is 360 ft., but there is some evidence that it once extended further
towards the north-east for at least some hundred yards beyond the 360
ft. Only a portion of the 360 ft. length has at present been cleared of
débris.
On the north-west side it is bounded by a well-built wall 4 ft. 6 in.
high and 12 ft. long, at the north-east end of which is a large rounded
buttress with portcullis groove. This buttress projects 3 ft. into the
passage, and is 3 ft. 6 in. high. Probably another buttress containing
a corresponding portcullis groove faced it on the opposite side of the
passage.
The eastern side is bounded by the entrance to the _Outer Parallel
Passage_ and by the north wall of that passage, which curves round in
front of the _North Entrance_ to the temple, and runs at right angles
to its former position. This wall, which is well built, is 7 ft. high,
and forms the east side of the passage for some 35 ft., but at this
point it is reduced to 3 ft. in height, and is carried on toward the
north-east in a less carefully constructed style.
The widths of the passage and the heights of the side walls, measuring
from the _North Entrance_ to the temple, are as follows:—
Heights.
Width. West side. East side.
S. Extremity 12 ft. 4 ft. 6 in. 7 ft.
25 ft. 5 ft. 2 ft. 6 in. 6 ft.
35 ft. 2 ft. 10 in. 3 ft. 4 ft.
50 ft. 2 ft. 6 in. 3 ft. 3 ft.
Between 35 ft. and 50 ft. are remains of pavement.
This passage, with its length of 660 ft., is believed to have formed
the chief line of communication between the _Elliptical Temple_ and the
_Acropolis_, seeing that it runs from the main entrance of the temple
down into the valley at a point almost facing the lowest extremity of
the _South-East Ancient Ascent_ to the _Acropolis_.
OUTER PARALLEL PASSAGE
On leaving the temple by the _North Entrance_ one enters a walled-in
area. This area is formed by the southern extremity of the _North-East
Passage_ and the western extremity of the _Outer Parallel Passage_,
both of which meet at, and converge upon, the _North Entrance_.
The _Outer Parallel Passage_ runs for 125 ft. east-south-east from
the _North Entrance_ parallel with the north-east wall of the temple
between the points [450 ft.] and [575 ft.] of its outer circumference.
At its extremity near the _North Entrance_ this passage is 7 ft. wide,
and 25 ft. further east-south-east of the entrance it is 3 ft. 8 in.
wide, which width is maintained for a length of 50 ft., beyond which
point it commences to widen out till the east-south-east extremity is
reached, where it is 12 ft. 6 in. wide.
Opposite the _North Entrance_ the outer wall of the passage is 6 ft.
high; at 25 ft. further east-south-east, 5 ft.; at 75 ft., 8 ft.;
at 100 ft., 7 ft.; and at 125 ft., 5 ft., the line of summit from
the 25 ft. point to the east-south-east extremity being fairly level
throughout. This outer wall is well built. It is 4 ft. 2 in. wide on
the summit at 5 ft. from the floor of the passage, and 3 ft. 10 in.
wide at 7 ft. from the ground.
At 25 ft. from the _North Entrance_ is a rounded entrance through the
outer wall. This has portcullis grooves. It is 1 ft. 10 in. wide, and
has three steps formed of the courses of the foundation of the wall,
the upper step being curved back into the entrance.
At the extremity near the _North Entrance_ there are the remains of a
small rounded buttress projecting into the passage from the main wall
of the temple.
CHAPTER XIV
THE ACROPOLIS RUINS
South-East Ancient Ascent—Lower Parapet—Rock Passage—Upper
Parapet—Western Enclosure.
On Zimbabwe Hill, at a height of some 230 ft. to 250 ft. above the
valley which runs along its west and south sides, stands the Acropolis
or Hill Fortress. Its prominent and strategic position on this
precipitous and practically isolated granite kopje gives it a grandly
imposing appearance among the many large ruins included within the
Zimbabwe Reserve.
Viewing the hill from the valley, one can well realise that Nature
alone made the place impregnable, while the builders of almost four
thousand years ago applied their highly developed engineering skill and
ingenuity to make the stronghold even more absolutely unassailable.
The south side of the hill is defended by a precipice some 90 ft.
high, running without break from the western end for over 300 yds.
to the eastern side of the hill, where the precipice loses itself in
gigantic boulders, each of many hundred tons weight, which, owing to
their beetling form, render that side of the hill inaccessible. Great
boulders form the summit of the hill, and are in a cliff-shaped line
running from west to east. Several of the highest boulders appear to
be most delicately poised on the edges of the shoulders of gigantic
cliffs, and these rise up at least 50 ft. to 70 ft. above the highest
portion of the Hill Ruins, thus making the total height of the kopje
to be slightly more than 320 ft.
[Illustration: ZIMBABWE HILL
VIEW FROM HAVILAH CAMP]
The bases of the southern walls are built on the outward slope of the
brink of the line of steep granite cliff, the lowest row of stones
being deep at their front and narrow at the back. So markedly are these
wedge-shaped rows of stones laid over the brink of the precipice that
at first sight one hardly notices where the wall ends and the precipice
begins, especially as the blocks in the walls present in the dry season
the same colourings and tints as the line of cliff itself. Below the
precipice the ground has a very sharp fall of some 70 ft. into the
valley.
The feelings provoked in one’s mind on visiting the Elliptical Temple
and Sacred Cone, which are in the valley, are those of awe and
reverence; but on inspecting the Acropolis the visitor is overcome
by a sense of absolute amazement and sheer bewilderment, which are
intensified at every step taken along its numerous labyrinthine
passages on climbing the hill.
Above the precipice, as seen from the valley, are massive walls, on
the summits of which some dozen monoliths, more or less erect, are
still to be seen standing clear against the sky-line. From this point
of view alone—and this but represents a small fraction of the walls of
which these ruins are composed—one realises that many thousands of tons
of granite blocks (those in the outer faces having been squared and
dressed) have been transported up the precipitous kopje to a height of
no less than 230 ft., for examination of the rocks on the hill proves
that the greater quantity of stone used in the walls was not quarried
on the kopje itself.
Apart from the infinite patience and painstaking toil of the ancients
as displayed in their careful and correct building and complicated plan
and style of architecture, this one fact of so much stone quarried
and dressed elsewhere and carried up to such a height as a man could
hardly climb who bore no burden, is one to amaze and perplex even the
most casual and indifferent visitor. Later, on reaching the ruins it
will be seen that very many thousand tons of granite blocks have been
carried up the hill. This fact serves to still further accentuate the
statements made by the authors on pages 60 and 65 of _Ancient Ruins
of Rhodesia_ that (1) not only did the ancients of the first period
of Zimbabwe architecture realise that they were occupying a hostile
country, but (2) the ancient builders had at their disposal slave
labour to an enormous and incalculable extent, and this apart from the
overwhelming evidences pointing to the same conclusion presented by the
thousands of ancient workings spread over Southern Rhodesia, and the
hundreds of massive fortresses and temples occupying a corresponding
area.
These and many other obvious suggestions present themselves most
forcibly at even the partial view of the Hill Fortress as seen from the
valley.
The first question occurring to one ascending the hill is: Where is
the ancient ascent? It is obvious that the path used by visitors could
not be the ascent of the ancients, for were it not for the gaps in the
walls, access to the summit by the ordinary path would be absolutely
impracticable. Indeed, the ordinary path runs at several points along
the reduced tops of broken walls, and crosses the foundations of some
dozen outer defence walls, which are now practically demolished and
barely traceable.
There are two well-defined ancient approaches to the summit of the
Acropolis, one being on the south side of the hill and the other on the
face fronting the west-north-west. It is believed that at least two
other ancient ascents exist. The N.N.W. ascent has not been completely
cleared out, though it is very well defined, and some 320 ft. of its
940 ft. length can now be traversed by the visitor, but the south-east
ascent has recently been cleared out of large trees, shrubs, and many
tons of wall débris and silted soil, so that it is now possible for
visitors to use it with ease. Mogabe, the Zimbabwe Makalanga chief, now
seventy years of age, who at one time had his kraal on the northern
side of the summit of Zimbabwe Hill, as well as the older of his
headmen, all state they had never before seen this ancient ascent so
cleared out. They say that the late Chipfuno’s people, and subsequently
their own, used it as an approach to the kraal, but not generally,
and this was only possible by climbing along the tops of the walls
and over the large wall-débris heaps that blocked up the passage-way.
Certainly for at least one hundred years this ascent could not have
been used, for the débris piles were covered with lichens, and had
every appearance of great age. The Makalanga had also purposely blocked
up the passage with a substantial wall, which was erected in Chipfuno’s
time. Some of the trees cleared from the passages proved by their size
that they had stood there long before the Chartered Company’s advent
into the country.
[Illustration: —ACROPOLIS RUINS—
—Zimbabwe—
_Methuen & Co._]
In fact, the ascent by this ancient approach now occupies a little
more than half the time required to walk round by the circuitous path
till recently used by visitors, besides affording to the climber a
revelation as to the ingenuity and wonderful engineering skill of the
ancients in effecting the defence of the hill. Unless this ancient
approach be traversed by the visitor, one of the principal features
provided by the Acropolis or Hill Ruins will have been missed.
SOUTH-EAST ANCIENT ASCENT
Leaving the huts at Havilah Camp, which occupy a low granite knoll on
the north side of the Shangani Grave and overlook the narrow valley
running at the south foot of the hill, one crosses the outspan and
passes through the “Outspan Ruins,”[58] which face the camp at a
distance of 70 yds. due north, which ruins are part of an inner line
of defence wall running round the base of the hill on the west, south,
and east sides, and which lie within the main outer wall sweeping
round from the west side of the Elliptical Temple to the north side
of Zimbabwe Hill, enclosing the large water-holes believed to have
been made by the ancients. From the ascent facing the camp a newly-cut
path leads in a direct line up some 70 ft. higher towards the ancient
approach, but with a slight trend to the east.
Before striking the walls of the passage-way, the path crosses at
right angles the foundations of some seven or eight outer defence
walls and walls of terraces and buried enclosures all rising in tiers
one above and at the back of the other. The soil here is black with
ash débris, and in cutting the rough steps in the path to the ascent,
each shovelful of this black soil contained a large quantity of broken
pottery and bones of animals. This débris on being examined shows
most evidently that it is not ancient; further, it is pronounced by
local natives to have been thrown out from the ruins above by previous
generations of Makalanga, but not by the mediæval Makalanga, who,
according to Portuguese records (1560 to 1750), occupied these ruins
as one of the courts or chief residences of the succession of dynastic
chiefs, each known as the Monomotapa or “The Lord of the Mines.” This
débris is believed to cover that of the mediæval Makalanga and of the
ancients, for all débris would by the formation of the cliff above
be guided to this part of the lower southern slope, and the heavy
downfalls of very many rainy seasons would distribute it over the steep
face of the southern slope, and spread it into the valley, where any
quantity of such débris may be found.
The path from the camp strikes the ancient ascent at 70 ft. above
the valley. The length of the approach, measured in the centre of
the passage in all its turnings, is 349 ft. from this point to its
termination on the summit of the precipice. It extends in a westerly
direction from the 70 ft. to the 210 ft. level on the hill. This
passage can be traced downwards into the valley to clear of the end of
the kopje for 420 yds.
The ascent is, for an ancient ruin, in a remarkably good state of
preservation, except at a few points where whole lengths of walls have
fallen into the narrow passage which runs between high walls. All this
wall débris, which effectively blocked the passage, has just recently
been removed. At one point the end of a wall had collapsed bodily into
the passage, and being on higher ground had filled it up to the height
of the walls below, but this débris has also been cleared away, so that
visitors can now walk without the slightest hindrance up the ascent on
practically what was the ancient flooring, and ascend the old flights
of steps. To such an extent had the passage become choked up that it
required some fifteen native labourers, working at different points,
no less than four days to cut away sufficient growth as would enable
a mere scramble to be made over the débris in the passages, while the
thorough clearing away of wall débris occupied the whole gang for
nearly a fortnight. Now that this ancient ascent has been made an easy
approach, this passage to the summit of Zimbabwe Hill has become the
most popular ascent.
The chief architectural features represented in the ascent are the
(_a_) Lower Parapet, (_b_) the Rock Passage, and (_c_) the Upper
Parapet, as also the flights of steps occurring in several lengths.
The point where the path from the camp strikes this ancient ascent is
not its most easterly extremity nor its lowest point, for, as before
stated, this passage can be traced for 420 yds. further east, where
its emergence into the valley is protected by one, if not two, large
fort-like ruins of some importance.
On turning into the ascent from the camp path, an outer wall on the
left-hand side runs for 42 ft. 6 in., and this wall is now only about
2 ft. high. The foundations are 4 ft. wide. The upper courses of
this wall are not ancient, though the foundations and lower courses
undoubtedly are, for it is evident that blocks which have fallen from
terrace walls overlooking the passage into the ascent have been laid
neatly, probably by mediæval Makalanga, on the tops of the wall which
had already become ruined. The right-hand side of the ascent from this
point, for a length of 65 ft., is formed by huge boulders. The passage
throughout this length is 3 ft. 6 in. to 4 ft. wide.
(_a_) THE LOWER PARAPET
At the upper end of this 45 ft. length of wall, and on the left-hand
side, is a natural parapet artificially improved. This is the Lower
Parapet, the outer and left-hand side of which is formed by the summit
of a large boulder 25 ft. long, and its highest point not more than
4 ft. 6 in. above the floor of the ascent. From this vantage ground
a fine view is obtained of the hills to the south, with the Bentberg
(_Matusa_) directly opposite, and the Elliptical Temple and the valley
of Ruins below.
On the inner and right-hand side of the Lower Parapet the rock glacis
is surmounted by two terrace walls, really enclosures filled in, the
second being behind and higher than the first. The lower terrace wall
has a frontage to the south of 24 ft., and the upper terrace wall
starts at 14 ft. to the rear of the top of the lower wall. Portions
of the higher wall are still intact, and judging by the line of wall
débris, it had a frontage to the south of some 20 ft.
Facing the passage at the west end of the Lower Parapet is a wall 3
ft. 6 in. high, running north for 12 ft. The top of this wall is 4
ft. wide, and is built upon a large granite boulder, which beetles
considerably at the outer and southern extremity of this wall. The
northern end of the wall is wedge-shaped, the point being well made
with finely tapering sides. A similar wedged-shaped buttress is to be
seen at the entrance to the Upper Parapet, and also on the south side
of the east entrance in the interior of the Eastern Temple on Zimbabwe
Hill.
The wall thus described acts as a division or parting of the ways, as
in the case of the wedge-shaped end of the wall at the Upper Parapet,
and a short passage 4 ft. wide and 12 ft. long runs along the west face
of the wall to the brink of the boulder which beetles to a steep drop
below.
The object of this short passage jutting out from the main ascent to
the brink of the boulder’s edge is inexplicable, unless it was intended
as a débris shoot, for at the base of the south front of this boulder,
and some 20 ft. below, is a large débris pile of past and present
Makalanga ashes, pottery, and bones of animals. This is contained in
a loose black soil, but the débris of the ancients underlying the
obviously Makalanga débris is contained in a light yellow soil the
surface of which has become almost as hard as cement. The examination
of this lower stratum of débris fully confirms the suggestion that this
short passage which terminates, so to speak, in space was one of the
spots where the ancients shot their débris.
At the north end of this short side-passage the main ascent takes a
long curve for 51 ft. westwards, from south-west to north-west, and is
formed on the outer side by a wall 5 ft. to 6 ft. wide on its present
reduced summit and from 6 ft. to 9 ft. in height, which runs still
ascending to the top end of the 51 ft. length. Here the ascent is
steeper than near the Lower Parapet, and steps, and traces of steps,
can be seen at several points.
The inner or cliff side of the ascent, from the Lower Parapet to the
higher end of the 51 ft. wall on the opposite side, is formed by large
walls 3 ft. 6 in. wide on their present summits, and averaging 5 ft. in
height, but are built back on a much higher level of foundation than
the outer wall of the passage. These inner walls enclose an almost
square open space on the inner side of the ascent, the area being 16
ft. on the south-east, 12 ft. on the north-east, and 11 ft. on the
north, the lower and south-east wall slanting down-hill towards the
passage, so that the lowest corner of the area is at the point where
the ascent enters the area. The enclosure is entirely thrown into the
passage. This lower corner of the area is about 8 ft. north-west of
the wedge-shape dividing wall just described. The arrangement of the
walls and of the area, with its lowest point resting on the passage, is
most patently an intentional design of the ancient military engineers,
as the slanting-down wall on the south-east side would provide room
within the area for a hundred defenders, while the narrow passage
immediately below where the ascent enters the area could barely have
held two invaders fighting abreast. But this narrow point was once
much narrower, for the foundations of a projecting buttress, rounded
into the lowest corner of the area, are to be seen about 2 ft. above
where the south-east wall slopes down-hill to within 3 ft. of the inner
face of the outer wall. The foundations of this projecting buttress
are very indistinct, and probably will disappear, as, now the buttress
has collapsed, visitors walk across the remaining foundation stones
as a short cut. The wall débris here suggests that the buttress was a
high structure. The Zimbabwe Makalanga headmen, who were watching the
clearing operations, informed the author that this buttress was once a
high one, but this was in their early days and many years before their
kraal was removed from Zimbabwe Hill.
From above the enclosed area to the end of the 51 ft. length of outer
wall before mentioned the passage on the inner side is bounded by
a wall which runs parallel to the outer wall in its curve from the
south-west to the north-west.
From the higher end of the 51 ft. length of wall the passage turns
directly west for 43 ft., where it curves to the north-east for 26 ft.,
averaging a width of 3 ft. 6 in., except just lower than the curve and
through its continuation where it narrows to 2 ft. The heights of the
outside wall run from 3 ft. to 4 ft. 6 in. before it reaches the curve.
On the inner side wall of the lowest part of this length the wall is
much broken, especially a length of 11 ft., which once held dentelle
pattern, facing south.
[Illustration: A TURN IN THE PASSAGE OF THE SOUTH-EAST ASCENT,
ACROPOLIS]
[Illustration: VIEW FROM SOUTH-EAST ASCENT, ACROPOLIS]
The end walls or frame of this dentelle pattern are still to be seen,
and many of the small blocks used in making this pattern were found
in the passage-way. The blocks can always be identified by their
exact similarity in size, and also on two faces they are exceedingly
time-worn, if not decomposed, as they are built up in columns with one
corner projecting outwards and flush with the face of the wall. This
pattern has now become completely destroyed by wild vine trees growing
inside the wall and forcing out its outer face on to the passage floor.
This damage must have been done within the last ten years.
This was one of the finest examples of dentelle pattern so far
discovered in Rhodesia, and had it not been destroyed would have been
by far the largest pattern of all the five instances. Dentelle pattern
is one of the many distinguishing features of the first period of
Zimbabwe architecture.
On the floor of this passage at this point and upwards there is a
flight of some thirty or forty steps. Each is very narrow from front
to back, so much so that it is exceedingly awkward for anyone wearing
boots to climb or descend them, though the Makalanga with their bare
feet climb them with the greatest ease. The steps extend from side to
side of the passage, but their end blocks, which here are very small,
are not built into the foundations of the side walls as are the large
steps to be found in the entrances and passages of all the original
buildings at Zimbabwe. It is therefore believed that these steps in
the ascent, or at least these particular steps, are not ancient, but
are laid upon the original steps by mediæval Makalanga, for there is a
freshness in their appearance which is never seen in steps which are
undoubtedly ancient. This belief is strengthened considerably when one
compares the flight of toe-lines with the broad, deep, and massive
steps at several points in the ascent, which were built when the
foundations of the passage walls were laid.
At the top end of the curve in this length of passage the heights of
both walls are 9 ft., with a width of passage at this point of 2 ft. 4
in. In this curve are traces of several rows of large steps.
At 12 ft. above the curve the passage turns with a sharp angle to due
west-north-west. On the north or inner side at this turn is a large
buttress built up against the face of the cliff. This buttress is 19
ft. 6 in. in height at its rear and abuts from the cliff for 2 ft. 6
in. The front of the buttress is only 7 ft. in height. The buttress
is 19 ft. long, but wall débris fallen from the summit of the cliff
extends upwards towards the entrance to the Rock Passage for another
8 ft. The outer wall here averages from 2 ft. 6 in. to 3 ft. 6 in. in
height. This wall has every appearance of having been reconstructed at
a later period. Its face is exposed to the fall of every stone from the
walls on the summit of the precipice, and no wall débris could descend
without damaging it. Up against its face were piles of blocks which had
come from above, but some of these piles were comparatively modern.
This point in the ascent, owing to the formation of the face of the
cliff, would have guided to it all débris falling from the southern
wall of the Eastern Temple, some portions of which have fallen into the
ascent. The passage between the buttress of the outer wall is 2 ft.
wide, but at the top end of the buttress it widens out to 4 ft. where
it enters the Rock Passage.
(_b_) THE ROCK PASSAGE
From this point the ascent is continued in the same direction between
the main cliff of the hill on the inner side (which at this elevated
level of the ascent is only 50 ft. above the passage) and a colossal
boulder on the outer side. This boulder beetles inwards towards the
cliff and over the heads of passers-by. The outside height of the
boulder appears to be some 80 ft. or 90 ft., and at one time before the
occupation of the hill by the ancient builders it formed part of the
main cliff from which it had fallen away for some feet, both outwards
and downwards; the depression in the face of the cliff from which it
slipped is still the exact shape of the boulder. In the Rock Passage
the height of the inside face of the boulder above the artificially
made raised floor is about 40 ft. to 20 ft., according as the ascent
rises. The ancients are believed to have filled in the split opening
between cliff and boulder to the needed height to carry their ascent.
This practice was a common one with the ancients, and a good instance
of this work is seen in the Buttress Passage in the Acropolis ruins.
[Illustration: LOWER ENTRANCE TO ROCK PASSAGE, SOUTH-EAST ASCENT,
ACROPOLIS]
[Illustration: VIEW DOWN ROCK PASSAGE, SOUTH-EAST ASCENT, ACROPOLIS]
Once inside the Rock Passage the path rises rapidly till it reaches
the open at the 200 ft. level of the hill. The passage is 48 ft.
long, and its average width is 2 ft. 6 in., but at one point it is
barely 1 ft. 10 in. wide. Where the boulders end on the higher side a
wall runs up on the outer side for 8 ft., and this is 4 ft. to 1 ft.
higher, lessening as the path ascends. The cliff here still forms the
inner side for this distance, and at the top end is a rounded buttress
jutting out from the cliff for 3 ft., and below it, and on the south
side, are several well-defined large steps of the undoubtedly ancient
type ascending on the outer side of the buttress for 12 ft.
At the end of this 12 ft. length the passage turns north and north-east
for 21 ft., and passes on the west side of the wedge-shaped-ended
wall, which forms the division where the path to the Higher Parapet
leaves the ascent. At the end of the 21 ft. length the walls of the
ascent appear to terminate, but the path to the Western Temple and to
the other ruins on the hill is continued through a gap made recently,
for the sake of visitors, in a Makalanga-built wall erected on ancient
foundations. This reconstruction of the wall by Makalanga without
leaving any entrance downwards to the ascent deliberately blocked it
up. This bears out the Zimbabwe headmen’s statement that within the
last fifty years they rarely used the ancient ascent in climbing up to
their kraal on the summit of the hill. Passing through the gap in the
Makalanga wall one enters the Western Enclosure, which lies at the foot
of the west face of the west wall of the Western Temple.
But the description so far given of the ascent is incomplete, for on
the east side of the wedge-shaped buttress, which is on the west side
of the Rock Passage, is a passage to the Western Temple by the Higher
Parapet.
(_c_) THE HIGHER PARAPET
The length of this parapet, which extends from within 9 ft. 6 in. of
the summit of the ancient ascent, is 78 ft., and it runs in an easterly
direction from the right-hand side of the ascent at the point where is
the upper wedge-shaped buttress and the outer parapet wall is built
along a narrow ledge at the very utmost edge of the cliff. Its front
foundation stones are wedge-shaped to suit the declivity of the rock
on which they are placed. At certain points this parapet wall has
fallen over the brink into the Rock Passage below, but the foundations
remain. This dilapidation is more apparent at the eastern end of
the parapet, where it passes on the precipice side of the face of a
projecting boulder and also of a rounded buttress 7 ft. high, which
is very well built. The boulder is erected up against the bottom part
of the rounded end of the main west wall of the Western Temple on its
southern extremity. This rounded buttress is 4 ft. west of the point
where the Higher Parapet joins the Parallel Passage, which is a still
more easterly and more elevated extension of the ancient ascent to the
Western Temple.
Coming up the ascent, and 9 ft. 6 in. from its summit, the path divides
as before mentioned at the wedge-shaped buttress, the right-hand path
being the approach to the Higher Parapet. Three feet above this
wedge-shaped end of wall are clear traces of large steps, and at this
point and on the right-hand side is a portion of dentelle pattern
introduced into the wall, and this faces due west. This pattern
originally consisted of five columns of blocks with projecting edges,
but the lower portions of four columns now only remain. The blocks are
in five courses. Unlike the dentelle blocks lower in the ascent, and
also the blocks in this pattern on the Platform of the Western Temple,
these blocks are of the ordinary size used in building the walls, and
in size resemble the blocks used in this pattern on the east main wall
of the Eastern Temple, and also those in this pattern on the Conical
Tower in the Elliptical Temple.
The highest part of the outer wall of the Higher Parapet is now only 2
ft. 6 in., with a similar width on the top. The width of the approach
to this parapet from the wedge-shaped end of the dividing wall is 2 ft.
on the floor. The wall on the inner side of the parapet at its western
end is 4 ft. 6 in. to 6 ft. high, and rounds off to the south to the
wedge-shaped end where it terminates.
Visitors should refrain from passing along the Higher Parapet unless
they are perfectly certain no one is in the Rock Passage at the time,
as any block put in motion even by the careful climber must fall
into the passage below. As before stated, the parapet wall is very
dilapidated and blocks might fall at the slightest movement near them.
But even with this caution the Higher Parapet is not a safe place
for visitors, for, as can be seen from below, the foundations of the
parapet, which are built over the brink of the precipice, show a
bulging out which must sooner or later effect the destruction of the
parapet.
The Higher Parapet would enable the ancient defenders to effectually
block the approach of any enemy through the Rock Passage, however great
their number.
There are two points worthy of notice in connection with this ancient
ascent:—-
1. _Original heights of walls._—The walls of the ascent in their
original state were considerably higher than even the highest (9 ft.)
as seen at two points to-day. In discussing this matter with some of
the Makalanga headmen, it was ascertained that even within their day,
say fifty years—for Mogabe is fully seventy years of age—some of the
highest walls were 4 ft. or 5 ft. higher than they are at present. But
on examining the numerous and immense wall-débris piles which were
removed in August, 1902, the estimate as to the heights of the walls in
their original form has to be very considerably increased, for these
piles were only the débris of the inner side walls and of the inner
faces of the outer walls, since the main portions of the outer walls
which have fallen have gone down the precipice, for at its base one can
walk for over 100 yds. on wide and high piles of wall débris which has
fallen down from the outer walls of the ascent.
The present widths of the walls also are some guide in forming an
estimate of their original heights. Some of these walls are from 5 ft.
to 7 ft. wide on their present very reduced summits, and taking the
usual Zimbabwe batter-back of 1 ft. in 6 ft. which is found in many of
the buildings of the first period of Zimbabwe architecture—and these
buildings are most manifestly of that period—it would be within a safe
limit were it stated that these passage walls were at least 15 ft.
high on either side throughout the greater length of the ascent. This
estimate would then fairly account for the great amount of wall débris
with which whole lengths of the ascent were completely choked up, in
some places to the tops of the walls on either side, and also for the
wall débris at the foot of the ascent.
Certainly most of the damage to the walls was done centuries ago, for
the ancient blocks on the sides and tops of the débris piles have,
since they fell into their present position on the piles, become on
all their exposed faces and sides, and even on their back parts, as
weathered and time-eaten, and in some cases as decomposed, as the front
faces of the blocks remaining in the walls.
But, unfortunately, irreparable damage has been done to these walls
within the last twenty years, and certainly within the last ten years,
for trees of not older growths than these periods were found to be
growing right in the centres of the walls, their roots pushing out
lengths of wall faces. This is the cause of the destruction of the
lower set of dentelle pattern, which has certainly been effected during
the last ten years. The inside of the wall from which the dentelle
blocks have fallen has every appearance of being quite fresh, and is
not in the slightest degree weather or time-worn.
2. _The ascent from the coast route._—This ancient ascent being on
the south side of the hill, and running for 600 yds. from the valley
at the clear east end of the hill up the south face to the summit,
it may naturally be taken for granted that this was the path along
which all arrivals by the route from the coast at or near Sofala would
approach Zimbabwe Fortress. As there are only two ancient ascents, the
southern and the north-western, and all other parts of the hill being
inaccessible, this conjecture may probably be the correct one, for to
have traversed the North-Western Passage for such a purpose would have
taken the ancients at least one mile out of their way. Every step taken
down the Southern Passage was one taken nearer to the coast.
On referring to _The Ancient Ruins of Rhodesia_, it will be found
that chains of ruins of forts, occupying strategic positions at
comparatively equal distances from each other, run in a south-easterly
direction along the Motelekwe River, and are further carried along the
Sabi far into Portuguese South-East Africa. The south ascent appears
to be the north-west termination of this line from the coast, and
the importance of this approach is demonstrated by the presence of
two outer distinct and large ruins in the valley at the south-eastern
end of the hill, and these guard the lowest extremity of the ascent.
The Mapaku Ruins, misnamed Little Zimbabwe, which lie eight miles
south-east of the Great Zimbabwe, would form the first posting station
and fort for the protection of the road to the Motelekwe chain of forts.
Besides, the contour of the country round Zimbabwe very clearly points
this route out as the ancient line of road to the south-east coast,
any other line, as can be seen from the summit of Zimbabwe Hill, being
barred by ranges of steep and high kopjes, in addition to which it may
be observed that the wagon road from Zimbabwe towards the Motelekwe and
Sabi rivers runs to-day along this identical line, as the formation of
the land permits of no other route from Zimbabwe.
It was shown in chapter vii. that discoveries demonstrated that the
ancients exported a large quantity of the gold won from the thousands
of ancient workings on the numerous gold-belts of Southern Rhodesia.
This amount authorities have placed, on a conservative estimate, at no
less than £75,000,000. Most probably a portion of whatever gold was won
in the northern gold districts of Southern Rhodesia went to the coast
by a northern route and not _viâ_ Zimbabwe. But the gold collected from
each of the capital towns in the more southern portion of Southern
Rhodesia, the capital towns having collected the gold from their
respective sub-districts on the reefs, would come to the metropolitan
centre at Zimbabwe, ready for transmission by caravan to the coast.
The districts that in all probability sent from their capital towns
their stores of gold as they became accumulated, so far as the lines
of forts and the contiguity, geographical position, and convenience
indicate, would be the present Tati, Bulawayo, Bembesi, Selukwe,
Gwanda, Filabusi, Belingwe, etc., and the gold districts of Southern
Mashonaland. For the service of these districts the north-west ascent
at Zimbabwe would appear to be extremely natural. The gold therefore,
in all probability, was brought from these districts to Zimbabwe
along its north-west ascent, and was taken away to the coast by the
marvellously protected path leading to the south-east.
This argument is not mere romancing. It is one which has every evidence
in its favour so far as any evidence can at present be secured. Passing
along the south-eastern ascent we may be pardoned if some poor attempt
be made to reconstruct some of the scenes that have taken place in
ancient times within its narrow and tortuous walls. Here may have
occurred the greeting of fresh arrivals from the coast, or from the
mother country of the ancient colonists; the bringing of news from a
far country, possibly news from Yemen, and later from Tyre and Sidon;
news of changes in home dynasties or of the progress of those ancient
and classic wars which shook the world and started fresh eras and
epochs in its history.
There, too, might have been seen the train of slaves carrying their
golden burden in claw-hammer-shaped ingots as stated to have been shown
on the monuments of Punt, and as they are pictured in the tombs of
ancient Egypt, of which the ancient soapstone moulds are represented
in collections of relics found in Rhodesia. Ivory, apes, ostrich
feathers, and gorgeous birds would be borne in the caravan, while gangs
of slaves, doomed to exile, would follow in the convoy, for all these,
since before the dawn of history, have been exported to the “Near East”
from Sofala and ancient Rhodesia.
Again, there might have been seen the dusky Semitic crowd watching
the departure of the results of their toil on so many ancient
gold-bearing districts, dressed in short, armless tunics (p. 108),[59]
and displaying massive gold bangles, exquisitely made and chased with
Zimbabwe designs, on arms, wrists, legs, and ankles, and with chains
of heavy gold beads round their necks, and in their hands the rods of
office with the beaten gold sun images on the tops, gold ferules at
the ends, or copper battle-axes and spearheads thickly plated with
gold—for all these are articles plentifully found with the buried
ancients of Rhodesia.
One can almost see the vantage grounds seized by the younger members
of the ancient crowd to view such spectacles, for on the same granite
cliff-ledges, foot-polished by ages of wear, the young men of the
Makalanga love to climb and squat.
At the lower end of the passage, and near the two ancient forts which
protect its south-eastern extremity, would be the soldiery in readiness
to take up their position in guarding the caravan. One can realise how
the ancients climbed on to the boulders at the very summit of Zimbabwe
Hill to strain anxious eyes in watching the progress of the convoy
down the valley towards the south-east till it disappeared in the blue
distance of the lower land.
Romance is most undoubtedly buried on the floors of all Zimbabwe ruins
throughout Rhodesia, but Romance rivalling that of Rider Haggard at his
best pervades the massive walls of this ancient ascent as it insinuates
its upward way along the precipitous side of Zimbabwe Hill.
WESTERN ENCLOSURE
To reach the _Western Temple_ on the hill from the _South-East Ancient
Ascent_, the _Western Enclosure_ must first be crossed, seeing that the
_Higher Parapet_ path is now become dangerous.