This enclosure lies on the west side of the main west wall of the

_Western Temple_. The highest part of the enclosure—the east—is 212

ft., and the lowest—the west part—is 205 ft. above the valley. The main

west wall of the _Western Temple_ forms its easterly boundary for 71

ft., the other walls making the enclosure nearly square. The wall on

the north side is 52 ft. long, 4 ft. to 6 ft. high, and 3 ft. to 4 ft.

wide on present summit. The west wall is 81 ft. long, and similar in

width and height. The south side, with no wall now remaining, is 61 ft.

long, and at 4 ft. to 7 ft. below the south edge, on the outside of

this enclosure, runs the _Higher Parapet_ previously described.

None of these enclosing walls, except, of course, the main wall of the

temple, are ancient. They are rudely built, or, rather, neatly piled.

This is obviously Makalanga work of a generation or two past, and the

Zimbabwe Makalanga admit this to be the case. But at several points the

walls run on ancient foundations. These modern natives, in imitation of

the monoliths on the temple wall above, have erected a slate monolith

on their north wall, but upside down. Slate beams, evidently fallen

from the wall above, have been used by the Makalanga as building

material, as using them saved labour.

But there are strong evidences that the builders of the ruins

themselves used this ground as an enclosure, and these in addition to

the remains of the enclosing walls’ foundations. At a distance of 15

ft. in front of the main wall of the temple is a wall built in good

style and, till recently, perfectly buried in soil. This portion of a

wall runs from north-east to south-west for 7 ft. 6 in., and is 2 ft. 6

in. high, ending at each extremity abruptly, the south-west end showing

a tendency to curve more to the south.

Also in the north-east corner and at the foot of the main wall of the

temple, and at 7 ft. and 15 ft. respectively from it, there are very

decided traces of terrace walls, with parapets descending into the

interior of the enclosure. The probable purpose of these terraced walls

is alluded to in the description of the _Western Parapet_, as this

parapet runs through other enclosures described later.

The drop of 7 ft. towards the west in the level of the surface of this

enclosure rather tends to support the theory advanced by Messrs. Bent

and Swan that the main west wall of the _Western Temple_ once stood

some yards more to the west of the present west main wall. This theory

is at present somewhat difficult to accept, for the existing wall is

the widest wall yet known in any ruin in Rhodesia, not excepting the

huge main walls of the _Elliptical Temple_ in the valley. This main

wall of the _Western Temple_ is 11 ft. wide on its summit at 18 ft.

above the ground. Still there are other points, mentioned later in

connection with the _Western Temple_, which would seem to support

Messrs. Bent and Swan’s theory.

Passing from the _Ascent_, along the south side of this enclosure,

climbing the wall débris in front, and passing through a gap in the

dilapidated part of the main wall directly opposite, one enters the

_Western Temple_ at its south-west corner.

CHAPTER XV

THE ACROPOLIS RUINS

(_Continued_)

THE WESTERN TEMPLE

This temple is the most westerly portion of the main ruins on _Zimbabwe

Hill_, and is built upon the steep edge of the western side of the

kopje at 220 ft. above the valley and also immediately on the summit

of the precipice, some 90 ft. in height, which runs along the south

face of the hill. A splendid view of the _Elliptical Temple_ in the

valley, as well as of the many ruins within the _Zimbabwe Reserve_, is

obtainable from this point.

The _Western Temple_ has the form of an amphitheatre, its area being

in the shape of a little less than a quarter of a circle, the centre

from which the south and north walls radiate being at its most easterly

point and 122 ft. from the centre of the inner face of the massive main

west wall which curves with a magnificently bold and perfect sweep

towards due west, connects the north and south walls at their westerly

extremities, and runs for 137 ft. on its inner face from south-west to

north-west.

This curved west wall is the most massive structure so far discovered

in any ancient ruin in Rhodesia, though it is not the longest. It has a

width of summit at 25 ft. from the ground of 14 ft. 6 in., the general

average width being 11 ft., and is still liberally decorated with huge

granite and slate monoliths and a row of small conical towers which are

now more or less imperfect.

The lengths of the walls along their inner faces are as follows: north

wall, 90 ft.; south wall, with gaps, 127 ft.; and the curved west wall,

137 ft.

The present surface of the area is very irregular owing to the soil and

wall débris having been piled up at several points by excavators whose

trenches and digging are still to be seen. Disregarding these piles the

highest part of the area is at its eastern end, the lowest being at the

inside base of the west wall.

_North wall._—This wall may be divided into several lengths from east

to north. The 22 ft. length from the east reaches to _The Platform

Cave_. This length of wall supports _The Platform_ on its south-west

side. Here the wall is 12 ft. high, measuring from the present surface

of the temple, which is, so far as can be ascertained, some 3 ft. to

5 ft. above the highest and latest ancient floor. Towards the 15 ft.

point the wall is carried over a huge boulder 11 ft. high, also over a

smaller boulder partly resting on the first boulder and partly against

another boulder, which forms part of the north side of _The Platform

Cave_, along which boulders the height of the wall is 11 ft. over the

large boulder, and 6 ft. over the smaller and higher one, but including

the height of a rounded end of wall on _The Platform_ above which is

built upon this wall, the height of the wall above the smaller boulder

is 11 ft.

The 14 ft. length of this wall clears the entrance to _The Platform

Cave_ and the steps, now dilapidated, leading from the floor of the

temple to the upper flight of steps to _The Platform_. In addition to

these steps on the west side of the cave, there was once a wall on the

summit of the boulder up which the steps ran, but the boulder is now

bare save for a small cap of red _daga_ (clay) which once formed the

foundation of a small Makalanga granary, such positions being usually

selected on account of their freedom from white ants.

The 28 ft. length is built upon and along the top of a long boulder.

This wall on its inner face is in good condition, but its back part

which forms a portion of the south wall of the _Platform Enclosure_ is

very dilapidated. The heights of this wall are 7 ft. 6 in., 10 ft., and

5 ft. at three different points going north-west. The last 7 ft. of

this length is a gap, the foundations only remaining.

The 26 ft. length of this wall extends from the gap to the inside of

the north end of the main west wall, where it acts as the south side

of the west extremity of the deep passage recently unburied which runs

down the centre of the _Platform Enclosure_. It is 5 ft. to 6 ft. high

on the temple side. This 26 ft. length of wall has been very seriously

damaged by roots of large trees.

The widths of the summits of the north wall range between 3 ft. 6

in. and 5 ft., but as _The Platform_ ends where the west end of _The

Platform_ comes flush to the temple face of the wall, it is difficult

to state any width, but still it must be exceptionally wide to carry

the wall which here rises to 18 ft. from the present filled-in level of

the centre of the temple.

_West wall._—The west wall of the temple runs from north-west to

south-west, and is 137 ft. long on its inner face, and may, for the

purposes of this description, be divided into two lengths, _i.e._, 29

ft. and 108 ft. commencing at its north end.

The 29 ft. length extends from the north end of the west wall to the

south-west side of a divisional wall of the same height, but only 4 ft.

wide on its summit, which is built up against the inner face of the

main west wall and protrudes 9 ft. into the temple in a south-easterly

direction. This divisional wall has a drain-hole right through it at 6

ft. below its summit. It is evident that the bottom of the drain, which

passes through dry masonry, once had a lining of cement which resembles

in make and quality that used in the lowest floor of the temple. This

length of the main wall is still intact.

The 108 ft. length extends from the south-west side of the divisional

wall just mentioned to the southern extremity of the main wall. At 10

ft. south of this divisional wall is the lowest point in the interior

of the temple. At 33 ft. along this length, still measuring in a

southerly direction, the wall has been considerably damaged, there

being a wide and deep gap on the outer side and a depression in the

general line of summit of the wall on its inner face. From this point

in this length to 86 ft. the wall is again intact, and at its original

height. The last 22 ft. of the 108 ft. length is very considerably

dilapidated. The west wall terminates on the south-south-west in a

rounded end, the lower part of which is exceedingly well built and

stands 11 ft. above the ground. This rounded end is one of the two

rounded buttresses which form the north or right-hand side of the

west end of the _Parallel Passage_ on approaching it from the _Higher

Parapet_.

The widths of the west wall at the summit are as follows: north

extremity, 13 ft. 8 in.; at north end of the 108 ft. length, 14 ft. 6

in.; at the gap, 2 ft. to 3 ft.; at south-south-west of gap, 12 ft. The

gap is 23 ft. long on the inner part and 29 ft. long on the outer or

west side.

The heights of the wall above the present levels of the ground, outside

and inside, are as follows: northern extremity, 25 ft. outside, and

6 ft. inside; at northern extremity of the 108 ft. length, 22 ft.

outside, and 16 ft. inside; at south-west of gap, 21 ft. outside, and

10 ft. 6 in. inside. The 22 ft. portion of the 108 ft. length is simply

a great pile of wall débris. The outside measurements are taken from

the top of the _Western Parapet_, which runs along at the foot of the

west face of the wall.

There are two points which will make this curved west wall of great

interest to archæologists:—

(1) It has the widest summit of any ancient wall yet discovered in

Rhodesia, and

(2) The _Monoliths_ and _Conical Towers_ alternating along its summit.

It should be stated that there are two lengths of summits of this wall

still remaining intact at their original heights. One length is at

the northern end of the wall, and is 44 ft. in length, and the other at

the south of the gap, and this is 46 ft. in length.

[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO COVERED PASSAGE, WESTERN TEMPLE, ACROPOLIS]

[Illustration: SMALL TOWER ON WEST WALL OF WESTERN TEMPLE, ACROPOLIS]

On the first line of summit the centres of the towers, foundations,

or traces, are at the following points, measuring from the northern

end: 6 ft., north face of tower 2 ft. high only now remains; 12 ft.,

foundations of tower with débris stones with rounded faces; 18 ft.,

portion of foundation only; 24 ft., tower in good condition to 2 ft.

in height; 30 ft., ditto; 36 ft., débris only; and 42 ft., traces of

foundation and débris.

On this length of summit there are three slate monoliths with tops,

some fractured, standing 3 ft. to 5 ft. above the summit of the wall.

These are practically equi-distant. Two other slate monoliths were

found in the débris at the outer base of the wall, and judging by the

spot where found, there are probably two others still buried in the

débris.

On the second line of summit, which extends for 46 ft. from south of

the gap, one round tower remains intact to a height of 3 ft. 6 in.,

where it has a diameter of 3 ft. 4 in. The towers or traces of towers

on this line of summit are at the following points, commencing from the

gap; 4 ft., tower, the most perfect specimen remaining; 10 ft., traces

of tower; 15 ft., ditto; 20 ft., foundations only; 27 ft., ditto; 33

ft., traces; 42 ft., ditto.

On this line of summit there are four slate monoliths, more or less

erect, standing at equi-distant points. One flat granite monolith

lies on the wall by the side of the hole in which it once stood. One

slate monolith was found at the outer base of the wall where the gap

divides the two lines of summits. The heights of these monoliths, some

fractured, range from 5 ft. to 9 ft. above the summit of the wall. One

of these must, in all probability, be 15 ft. long.

There seems to be little doubt that these towers, as erected

originally, were conical. The most perfect tower shows a very decided

drawing-in of the upper courses, while among the débris of each tower

are smaller blocks, showing by the contracted curve of their rounded

faces that the courses they represented had much smaller radii than

those of the courses below.

_Architecture and construction of west wall._—Both the architecture

and construction of this wall are most obviously of the First Zimbabwe

Period; but most of the material used is of an inferior quality to that

in the other walls of this temple. This is patent to anyone inspecting

the western face of the wall, where very many of the granite blocks

are cracked, and in some places considerably decomposed. Some of the

courses are also very irregular, and have steep gradients, while

many courses disappear, or are false in order to restore the level

of depressed courses, besides which the blocks vary greatly in size.

Still, the wall does not show any other feature of the Second Period

Zimbabwe architecture. As stated before, it is undoubtedly the most

massive wall of any ancient ruin yet discovered in Rhodesia, but it was

most probably built, or rather reconstructed, during a late portion

of the First Period, and, as Bent suggests, later than other walls

of this temple. He further suggests that this is a reconstruction

of the west wall on a curve some yards further east of its original

position. In the description of the _Western Enclosure_ (see later),

of which this wall forms the eastern side, it is stated that there

is much difficulty in accepting this conjecture. The opportunities

opened to the author for examining the ground to the west of the wall

were far better than those opened to Bent, and the failure to discover

any ancient foundation which could have carried even a much smaller

wall was complete; in fact, no foundations whatever anywhere within

the point of distance mentioned by Bent. Moreover, the south end of

the present wall, as seen at the eastern end of the _Higher Parapet_,

is most excellent work, and appears to have been erected at the same

time as the other walls of this temple. Bent’s suggestion as to a

reconstruction of this wall at a later period is highly probable, but

this reconstruction was only partial, it did not include the south end,

and it was upon the original foundations. The radius of the segment of

the south end demonstrates that the correctness of the curvature of

this wall would have been destroyed had the reconstructed portion been

built upon any other line of foundation.

_South wall._—This wall is the large massive wall seen from the valley

on the south and west sides of the hill. It is built upon the actual

brink of the south precipice, and is 78 ft. long, but including the

foundations in the gap at its eastern extremity, its total length is

127 ft.

The first 21 ft. measuring from the western end forms the outer wall of

the narrow passage from the _Higher Parapet_ in the _South-East Ascent_

to the _Western Temple_, and also forms the south wall of the western

end of the _Parallel Passage_. This wall at its western end is much

reduced by dilapidation, and here its height rising from the bare rock

of the precipice is 10 ft. above the floor of the passage. The wall at

this point terminates in a beautifully rounded end, which is a splendid

work of art, rivalling in this respect the round end of the wall on

the south side of _Pattern Passage_. From the western extremity the

south wall rises in height on its outer face as it extends east to 25

ft., and 35 ft. for the rest of the wall as far as the gap. Here the

original summit is practically intact as far as the west side of the

gap, where the foundations of the wall are level with the ground and

are about 8 ft. wide. The inside face of the wall above the interior

surface of the temple ranges from 11 ft. to 17 ft. according as the

ground rises and falls.

There are no traces of round towers on this wall, but three slate

monoliths and one of granite are still more or less erect on the higher

portion of the wall. Two slate monoliths were found by the writer

at the inner base of the wall, and these would have made the line

equi-distant.

_East side of temple._—This is 36 ft. long. The first 10 ft. from the

south side is a débris heap; from 10 ft. to 26 ft. is a wall rounding

towards the east, and this wall is 18 ft. 6 in. high; 26 ft. to 29 ft.

is the _Covered Passage_ where the wall is 9 ft. over the passage; 29

ft. to 36 ft. is a wall extending to _The Platform_, where the height

of the wall is 14 ft. from the lower end of the boulder some 9 ft.

above the pile of débris lying on the floor. It is at this point that

the north wall before described commences.

_Centre of arc._—Schlichter suggested that the centres of the arcs of

those massive and decorated walls, which are curved either towards the

west or east, might have had some peculiar importance in the minds of

the ancient builders. This suggestion is based on his examination, not

only of the temples at Zimbabwe, but of the larger elliptical buildings

elsewhere in the country.

At the centre of the arc of the curved, decorated, and massively built

west wall in the _Western Temple_ on the _Acropolis_ (and this is the

widest wall yet discovered in Rhodesia) a discovery has been made which

may possibly bear on the question of the orientation of these temples,

though in the matter of orientation or otherwise it would be much

safer to keep an open mind till more information can be placed before

accredited experts acquainted with this branch of science.

The spot marked R on Bent’s plan—“centre of arc of great wall”—was

covered on the surface by a very old Makalanga _daga_ floor broken in

pieces by an old and decayed tree. These loose slabs of clay flooring

having been removed, about 2 ft. depth of blocks and soil was found.

The blocks had no relative position to one another, and they were in

all positions. Immediately below this débris was found a yellow granite

cement structure. This is semi-circular in shape, measuring 11 ft. 8

in. round the curved base from end to end. The straight back part is 6

ft. 3 in. across. The structure is formed by two rounded curved rims,

one on the other, the top one receding 4 in. from the face of the lower

one. The lower rim is 1 ft. high, and the upper one 8 in. The structure

is hollow to a depth of 9 in., and the interior extends evenly all

round to within 10 in. from the front upper face of the structure.

At 8 ft. 6 in. from the centre of the front of this structure, and

immediately due south behind it, is a granite cement cone in splendid

condition. This cone is 4 ft. 11 in. in circumference at base, and is

1 ft. 4 in. high. At 10 in. due east of the first cone is a smaller

one with a circumference at base of 2 ft. 4 in., and this is 6 in.

high. The semi-circular structure and the two cones are connected by a

flooring of the same excellent quality of cement, and are structurally

one.

On following the cement floor towards the north-east it was found to

be decomposed by water and to have become like bright yellow clay. The

lowest part of the surface of the interior of the eastern end of this

temple is at this point, and from it rain-water could not escape. This

decomposed cement was swagged and depressed considerably by the damp,

but it was easily followed for 28 ft. 6 in. The granite cement floor

runs in all directions from the semi-circular structure, but in most

parts it is still solid, exceedingly hard, and in good condition.

At the 28 ft. 6 in. point and at 5 ft. below the filled-in surface

of the interior of the temple a cement cylinder was found. This is

beautifully rounded and has four bevelled bosses, equi-distant, on

its side. The cylinder was found upon a platform of the best cement

yet discovered at Zimbabwe. It has a diameter of 1 ft. 8 in., is 5

in. high, and has a circumference at the curved-in base of rounded

side of 4 ft. 2 in. The bosses or knobs, which are bevelled, project

outwards 1 in. The side is formed by three flat bevelled faces running

all round, the centre bevelled face projecting half an inch beyond

the others. The top is level, and the bottom part curves inwards at

its base. The cylinder is perfectly free of any damage and is without

the slightest scratch on its smooth surface. The workmanship is of

so excellent a character that it is still almost equal in design and

construction to any similar object that could be turned out at a

European workshop.

The cylinder stands on a platform at 3 ft. 6 in. from its front on west

side, the face of the platform being formed of two almost semi-circular

faces meeting and turning inwards some few inches eastwards towards the

cylinder. The platform is 1 ft. 1 in. high on the northern curve, the

southern extremity being well rounded off, while the northern extremity

runs into and under a bank of débris not yet cleared away.

The “finds” at the centre of the arc in this temple included the usual

unpleasing emblems of Nature Worship; a piece of forked iron, more

rust than iron, with six gold bosses the size of peas at equi-distant

points; these are riveted on the iron with corresponding gold bosses on

the opposite side, the rivets through the iron being of gold; a sheet

of beaten gold 3½ in. by 2¼ in., also some fragments of beaten gold and

gold tacks; fragments of soapstone bowls and beams, old pottery, some

peculiarly shaped natural stones, including serpentine stones, and an

Isafuba game stone.

The “finds” at the cylinder were three large black beads with white

lines possibly identical with a similar bead found by Bent on the

Acropolis, to which (p. 205) he ascribes a very great age; also under

the curved-in side of the cylinder were scratched out some fifty light

green beads with encircling ribs, and these both local Makalanga and

Barotse natives state are completely strange to them; some yellow and

green glass beads of microscopic size, the holes being scarcely visible

without the aid of a magnifying glass; a miniature phallus carved,

old pottery, and a small block of mica split up into sheets. In the

side of the trench on a clay floor 1 ft. above, and at the back of

the cylinder, is a stratum of ashes out of which a quantity of beaten

copper sheetings, copper tacks, a large copper battle-axe, and a very

thick copper bangle were drawn.

Above the cylinder were at least four floors with ashes on each, and

the remains of a furnace on two of them. Above the top floor were 3 ft.

of very hard soil, and 18 in. of black soil, and on the top were the

remains of a decayed tree, which must have been at least fifty or sixty

years old.

_Covered Passage._—This passage is at the eastern end of the temple, to

which it served as an approach from _The Platform_. It is 2 ft. wide,

6 ft. 6 in. high, has a rounded end on the north side, is 10 ft. long,

and the high wall over it is supported by five large slate lintels. The

passage opens out at the east end at the foot of _The Winding Stairs_.

In the passage the writer found (August, 1902) a Makalanga grave, and

with the permission of the local chief, the skeletal remains were

removed and re-interred elsewhere.

_Platform Cave._—This cave is immediately below _The Platform_, and

opens on to the floor of the temple. It is 8 ft. to 10 ft. high

throughout a length of 22 ft. At 11 ft. from the entrance the width

is 2 ft. 10 in., and at the innermost point 4 ft. 6 in., where it is

walled up with blocks. The cave is formed by an immense boulder on

the east side and by two large boulders on the west side. It had two

floors, the higher floor being 4 ft. above the lower one. The top

floor, which was of red clay, was obviously of Makalanga make, but the

lower one, which is made of granite cement, is believed to be of a late

ancient period. Probably a still more ancient flooring may be found

lower. On the top floor was a modern Makalanga grave, and the remains

were removed elsewhere and re-interred. On the lower floor some of the

fragments of the decorated soapstone found by Bent, and of which he

mentions what fragments were missing, were discovered by the writer

within a few feet of the spot where Bent found the larger portions of

this beam.

_Stairs to Platform._—The entrance to the _Platform Cave_ is narrowed

by the lower steps of a flight of stairs rising from the interior of

the temple over the two boulders, which form the northern side of

the cave, up to the upper flight of stairs on the north side of _The

Platform_. The steps are considerably ruined, but can be traced, the

stones being covered with a cement not believed to be ancient.

_Parallel Passage._—This passage extends from the point where the

_Higher Parapet_ enters the temple at its south-west corner, the south

wall of the temple forming its south side. The eastern extremity of

this passage is at the wide gap in the south wall. Its total length

is 71 ft. The walls on the north side vary in height from 5 ft. to 13

ft., according to the rise and fall of its floor. Its width varies

from 2 ft. to 3 ft. Half-way along are traces of steps, also at its

lowest point. This _Parallel Passage_ appears to be similar in purpose,

so far as can be surmised, to that of the _Parallel Passage_ in the

_Elliptical Temple_ in the valley.

_Internal walls._—These are five in number, so far as discoveries

have been made; and for the purposes of this description, and for the

assistance of visitors, are lettered A to E on boards affixed to the

walls.

_A._ This is the wall mentioned in the description of the main west

wall as being built up against the inner face of the main wall, and as

protruding 9 ft. into the temple in a south-easterly direction.

_B._ This is a small isolated section of a wall with broken ends, and

is 28 ft. south-west of the north wall, and 38 ft. from the west wall.

It is 4 ft. long, 2 ft. 6 in. wide, 4 ft. high, and its faced sides are

north-east and south-west.

_C._ A small isolated section of wall 38 ft. 6 in. from the north wall,

and 44 ft. from the west wall. It is 5 ft. high and 7 ft. wide, and

its ends are broken. Its faces are fairly well built, its foundations

rest on made ground, and red clay, not cement, can be seen on the

trench all round the wall.

[Illustration: WEST ENTRANCE TO PARALLEL PASSAGE, WESTERN TEMPLE,

ACROPOLIS]

[Illustration: BUTTRESS PASSAGE, ACROPOLIS]

_D._ A large wall stands at 9 ft. 6 in. from the west wall at a point

42 ft. north from the south end of that wall. It has an abrupt and

unfinished end facing south, from which end it rounds boldly towards

the east, where it appears to terminate in a bank of soil debris. The

quality of material and workmanship displayed in this wall are very

similar to those of the west wall. Its height is 9 ft. where it faces

the south, but where it faces west is a portion of wall 6 ft. high

erected on its summit, and this upper wall is 6 ft. long and 4 ft.

wide, being rounded at its end facing west. The sides of the upper and

lower walls are flush to each other.

_E._ At the foot of the boulder over which the north wall is carried

is a trench, and at a depth of 4 ft. below the present level of the

interior of the temple is a very strong cemented floor, on which stands

about 4 sq. ft. of the rounded end of a cement wall of most excellent

material and make. These are believed to be ancient, and if such be

the case, then no antiquity could be claimed for walls B and C, which

are built upon the filled-in soil of a higher level. The remains of a

rounded stone buttress are also to be seen in this trench. This trench

was sunk through the red clay of a Makalanga threshing-floor.

_Sections of floors._—Three sections of what are believed to be ancient

floors can be seen in the cutting at the angle formed by the north

and west walls. At 5 ft. below the present surface of the temple is

an ancient floor of strong yellow granite cement 1 ft. 4 in. thick;

above this is a red cement floor 1 ft. thick; above this is another red

cement floor 1 ft. 2 in. thick; while the top floor is made of ordinary

Makalanga clay. A red cement bed lies under the lowest floor.

CHAPTER XVI

THE ACROPOLIS RUINS

(_Continued_)

Platform Enclosure—Cleft Rock Enclosure—The Platform—Balcony

Wall—Little Enclosure—The Winding Stairs—Upper Passage—East

Passage—Buttress Passage—South Enclosures A, B, and C—South

Cave—South Passage—Central Passage.

PLATFORM ENCLOSURE

This enclosure is on the north side of the _Western Temple_, and

immediately at the foot of the stairs leading up the north-west side

of _The Platform_. The east side is 46 ft. long, and is formed by a

wall 19 ft. high and 7 ft. wide at 5 ft. above the present level of

the interior. The north wall is 33 ft. along its face, and including

a rounded corner at the north-east. It is 3 ft. wide at its present

reduced height, which averages from 2 ft. 6 in. to 5 ft. above the rock

floor. The north wall is built upon the edge of a high boulder, which

boulder forms the floor of the enclosure on its north side. From north

to north-west is an open space enclosed by a Makalanga-built wall which

is carried across and blocks up an ancient entrance. From north-west to

south the wall is 51 ft. long, and forms part of the north wall of the

_Western Temple_. It is 4 ft. 6 in. wide on its present reduced summit,

which is very dilapidated, its length including a wide gap. The extreme

south-eastern side is formed by the walls supporting the steps from

this enclosure to the summit of _The Platform_.

In the south-east corner of this enclosure is a passage leading into

the _Cleft Rock Enclosure_. This passage is 10 ft. long, the walls on

either side are 6 ft. in height, and the width varies from 2 ft. to

4 ft. 10 in. This passage was only discovered in July, 1902, when it

was found to contain a Makalanga grave apparently about twenty years

old. The remains were removed and re-interred at the right side of the

entrance to the _Cleft Rock Enclosure_. There were traces of steps in

this passage, but these had been destroyed by masses of falling débris.

On the east side and at 21 ft. from this passage is a large squared

entrance, also leading into _Cleft Rock Enclosure_. This appears

to be a reconstruction of an older entrance or a late construction

altogether, or possibly a new entrance through an old wall. The

entrance is 6 ft. high, 2 ft. 6 in. wide, 7 ft. long, and has squared

walls. Most probably this entrance was originally covered, for the

remains of slate lintels can be seen on either side in the wall above

it, and quantities of long pieces of fractured slate beams were found

on its floor.

The area of this enclosure is divided into different levels. The floor

on the south-west side for 28 ft. by 14 ft. is formed by the top of a

huge flat-topped boulder. The floor at the extreme north is also formed

by the top of a boulder. The middle portion between these two floors

consists of a depression of some 10 ft. to 14 ft. lower than the rock

floors on either side, the lowest portion being at the north-west end.

In this depression, and running from the north-west toward the squared

entrance in the east wall, is a deep and narrow passage, the wall of

which on the south-west side is the retaining wall for the higher floor

on that side. The north-east wall of the passage appears to have been

a Makalanga reconstruction of an ancient wall, especially as several

of the walls in the immediate vicinity are undoubtedly Makalanga, and

claimed by them as such, and, moreover, Makalanga articles were found

at the base of its foundation. Still, the wall is so dilapidated that

it is difficult to state one’s opinion as to its age. This passage runs

west for 72 ft. throughout the length of this enclosure, and passes

out on to the _Western Parapet_, which runs along the west base of the

west wall of the _Western Temple_. The width of the passage varies

from 2 ft. to 4 ft., and with side walls averaging in height 5 ft. to

14 ft. on the south side, and 4 ft. to 7 ft. on the north side. In

the description of the newly discovered _North-West Ancient Ascent_,

it will be seen that this passage forms an important section in that

ascent.

At the south-east corner of the enclosure, and extending for 6 ft. from

the east wall, is a small wall of three different faces at different

levels all facing north. It was evidently intended to act as a buttress

to the steps from _The Platform_ down into the narrow passage between

the two side floors of this enclosure.

CLEFT ROCK ENCLOSURE

This enclosure lies to the east of the _Platform Enclosure_, and its

west wall is the same as forms the east wall of that enclosure. At all

other points its sides are formed by cliffs and large boulders rising

to the height of some 50 ft. and 60 ft. The west side is 46 ft. long,

and its north and south sides are about 86 ft. each in length, these

meeting at their extreme east.

_Cleft Rock_, which is so very often seen in photographs of the

Zimbabwe ruins, rises for about 25 ft. above the surface of the

enclosure on its north side and extends downwards for 15 ft. below it

on the outside. It is 3 ft. 10 in. to 4 ft. 6 in. wide throughout.

Possibly it was an ancient ascent from the _Rock Holes Walk_, as a

quantity of wall débris lies at its outside base.

All the divisional walls of the interior are undoubtedly of Makalanga

construction, and the local Makalanga claim them as having been made

early in the time of Mokomo, the previous Zimbabwe chief, whose

kraal occupied the north summit of this hill. This remark does not

apply to the buttresses on either side of the west entrance.

[Illustration: THE CLEFT ROCK, CLEFT ROCK ENCLOSURE, LOOKING SOUTH FROM

EXTERIOR, ACROPOLIS]

[Illustration: A NATURAL ARCHWAY IN CENTRAL PASSAGE, ACROPOLIS]

The enclosure is approached on the south-west by the recently opened

passage at the north foot of _The Platform_ steps, also on the west by

the squared entrance from the _Platform Enclosure_, and on the south

it is believed to have had an entrance through the _Buttress Passage_

(described later). The huge pile of stone-wall débris on the south

side was recently stacked here, having been removed from the _Platform

Enclosure_ and passage.

THE PLATFORM

This is an elevated position at the east corner of the _Western

Temple_, commanding a splendid view of the whole of the interior of

the temple and of the surrounding enclosures. It appears to have been

erected for the same purposes as were _The Platform_ in the _Elliptical

Temple_ in the valley, and the _Ancient Balcony_ in the _Eastern

Temple_ on the hill.

Its height is 27 ft. 6 in. above the present floor of the temple, and

about 32 ft. above any of its ancient floors. It is 250 ft. above the

level of the valley. The summit of _The Platform_ projects out towards

the west from the upper face of a huge boulder which forms the west end

of the cliffs and boulders which ridge along the summit of this hill.

A wall 2 ft. high and from 1 ft. 10 in. to 2 ft. 6 in. wide runs west

from the boulder at the back across the centre of _The Platform_ and

terminates in a rounded end overlooking the temple. On the east side of

this low wall is an embrasure 3 ft. wide, also overlooking the temple,

at the south end of which is a parapet wall now from 1 ft. to 3 ft.

high and 12 ft. long, also on the edge of the temple wall. This forms

the west side of the approach to _The Platform_ from the south, which

is further formed by the _Winding Stairs_.

On the north side of _The Platform_ is a flight of stairs, now

considerably ruined by roots of trees forcing out the steps. This

flight ascends from the granite rock floor of the _Platform Enclosure_

from between two rounded buttresses. Half-way up the steps pass between

two small, low walls, the space between them being 2 ft. These walls

are parallel for a few feet, but as the steps descend they round off

on each side away from the steps. This flight of stairs is the last

and highest section of the _North-West Ancient Ascent_ from the valley

where are the large water-holes or dongas (see _North-West Ancient

Ascent_).

At the top of these steps and on the east side of _The Platform_ is the

celebrated _Dentelle Pattern_.

This ancient wall decoration is the sixth yet discovered in Rhodesia,

and until more is known of the similar pattern at Matendele Ruins, it

can be tentatively concluded that this pattern on _The Platform_ is by

far the best and the most complete specimen extant in Rhodesia.

Its present dimensions are 3 ft. 6 in. wide and 3 ft. 6 in. high,

and it consists of four columns of small, shallow blocks laid flat,

with corners outwards, and flush with each other, each block thus

showing two faces, the whole enclosed on top, bottom, and south sides

by an angular frame of large blocks. The north side of the frame has

disappeared. It is probable that this pattern once possessed a fifth

column of dentelle blocks, as the foundations, providing sufficient

space for another column, still remain, and there are more of these

small blocks lying in the débris below, each with two faces, generally

time-worn. This pattern faces west, but very slightly to the south of

west. In the summer of the Southern Hemisphere it exactly faces the

setting sun, the great slanting monolith then being between it and the

setting sun.

The other special features of _The Platform_ are the _Monoliths_.

Two tall and flat-faced granite monoliths are still standing on

_The Platform_, while one slate monolith lies prone on the south floor

of _The Platform_, with a few feet of its length projecting over the

temple wall. This last monolith is 10 ft. long, and at its centre part

is 2 ft. 2 in. in circumference. This monolith is intact.

[Illustration: VIEW OF THE PLATFORM AT WESTERN TEMPLE, ACROPOLIS, FROM

MAIN WEST WALL]

[Illustration: DENTELLE PATTERN ON PLATFORM, WESTERN TEMPLE, ACROPOLIS]

The heights of the two standing monoliths are: the erect monolith 8 ft.

above _The Platform_, and the slanting monolith 11 ft. 6 in., and their

respective circumferences are 2 ft. 2 in. and 2 ft. 9 in. The one in

front of the _Dentelle Pattern_ slants considerably to due north.[60]

Its base, built into the wall, must be of great length to support the

enormous weight of this large and slanting slab of granite, especially

as this monolith had once been of greater length. The fracture on its

top can be seen from the summit of the boulder behind. The fractured

portion was found at the foot of the stairs, and this measures 3 ft.

2 in., thus making the exposed portion of the monolith not less than

14 ft. 8 in. in length. There is no evidence of the slanting of the

monolith having taken place since its erection.

BALCONY WALL

This is on the south side of _The Platform_, from which it is reached.

The top of this wall is level with the top of the _Winding Stairs_, and

it forms the western end of _East Passage_, and the eastern wall of

the _Western Temple_. It is 21 ft. long and from 4 ft. to 6 ft. wide.

Through it is the _Covered Passage_ (see _Western Temple_).

LITTLE ENCLOSURE

This can be seen from the _Balcony Wall_ between the southern end of

which and the _Upper Passage_ it lies. It is 8 ft. deep, 5 ft. wide,

and 11 ft. long. The entrance appears to have been at outside of the

south-western end of the _Upper Passage_. It is almost entirely filled

up with débris. It once had a granite cement dado 3 in. thick on its

sides, some of which still remain intact. It is from this enclosure

that the drain-hole on the west side of the _Upper Passage_ emerges.

THE WINDING STAIRS

These lead from _The Platform_ to the _East Passage_, which again leads

to the eastern extremity of the _Acropolis Ruins_. The stairs are 14

ft. long, and descend 8 ft., and are 4 ft. to 6 ft. wide. The wall on

the south side is 4 ft. to 7 ft. high as the stairs descend. The wall

at the east end is 7 ft. high. The face of a huge boulder forms the

north side. The foot of the stairs, where they turn towards the south,

is covered by a narrow wall supported by an old wooden beam. This beam

is not ancient, but the old Makalanga who occupied these ruins may have

inserted it to make the stairs safer to use. Fragments of slate lintel

were found in the débris at the foot of the stairs.

UPPER PASSAGE

This passage, which is 28 ft. long, connects the bottom of the _Winding

Stairs_ and the south side of the interior of the _Western Temple_. On

the east side the wall is from 4 ft. 6 in. to 6 ft. high, and 5 ft.

to 10 ft. on the west side. It is 3 ft. 6 in. wide throughout. It is

approached at the northern end between buttresses, the one on the west

side being round, while the one on the eastern side is rounded on the

inner side and angular on the outer side. On the west side are the

remains of a drain emerging from the _Little Enclosure_ and a fragment

of the slate beam which once carried the wall across it is still to

be seen in the hole. This passage, though at the foot of the _Winding

Stairs_, is some 8 ft. higher than the present floor of the _Western

Temple_.

EAST PASSAGE

This passage is 80 ft. long from the foot of the _Winding Stairs_ to

the north side of _South Enclosure C_. At the foot of the _Winding

Stairs_ the passage-way turns east, the north side for 13 ft. being

a large rounded buttress 6 ft. high. On the south side at this point

is the eastern end of the _Covered Passage_ leading up from the floor

of the _Western Temple_, and a few feet further east is the northern

entrance to the _Upper Passage_.

[Illustration: BOTTOM OF WINDING STAIRS, WESTERN TEMPLE, ACROPOLIS]

[Illustration: WEST ENTRANCE TO SOUTH CAVE, ACROPOLIS]

From the 14 ft. length to the 31 ft. length of the passage going east

are remains—only very ruined—of cement steps descending to a lower

level. On the south side of this passage are _South Enclosure A_,

_South Passage_, and _South Enclosures B and C_. The north side is

formed by high, cliff-like boulders. The _Buttress Passage_ starts

north at the north side of the 51 ft. length going east. At the

entrance to _Buttress Passage_ a tree has lifted up a granite block 6

ft. from the ground. It is firmly fixed in the bark of the tree.

BUTTRESS PASSAGE

This passage runs north and south for 39 ft. between two gigantic

cliff-boulders on the summit of the hill. This passage connected the

enclosures on the north and south sides of the cliff. The rocks on

either side of the passage at its bottom and south end are 50 ft. high

on the east side, and 35 ft. high on the west side, and at the upper or

north end are from 15 ft. to 20 ft. high. The path ascends throughout

its length, and its upper end is 14 ft. above the lower end. The width

between the rocks varies from 4 ft. to 6 ft., but the top exit of the

path goes between rocks only 3 ft. apart.

The floor between the two cliffs is artificially made, and near the

summit it has crowned in, and this crowning-in now bars the ascent to

the _Cleft Rock Enclosure_, to which it formed an entrance from the

south.

The passage has been considerably narrowed by buttresses alternating on

either side, these making the passage a true zigzag. The first buttress

at the south end and on the west side is much reduced in height, being

now but 1 ft. 6 in. This buttress is angular, and protrudes 2 ft. On

the east side is a long rounded buttress, which leaves the passage 2

ft. wide between it and the first buttress. This second buttress is 4

ft. high, 7 ft. long, and protrudes 4 ft., the width of the passage

between it and the opposite cliff being 1 ft. 3 in. The third buttress

is 17 ft. from the south end of the passage; it is angular, and

projects from the west side 2 ft., and is now only 2 ft. 6 in. high.

The fourth buttress is angular on the bottom side and rounded on the

top side. This projects 3 ft. 6 in. from the west side, and is 5 ft.

high. Between the third and fourth buttresses the passage is 2 ft.

wide. Above the fourth buttress the floor has crowned in, and on the

upper side of the crowning-in is a wall 5 ft. high built across the

passage. Judging by block débris, this wall, the summit of which is

level with the floor of the _Cleft Rock Enclosure_, was once surmounted

by steps.

SOUTH ENCLOSURE A

This enclosure is 51 ft. long from east to west, and is 25 ft. wide at

its broadest point. Its shape is that of a long, narrow triangle, the

apex resting at its south-east end. Most of the south wall has fallen

over the edge of the precipice. There are two rounded entrances on the

north side from the _East Passage_. The walls remaining are from 5 ft.

to 7 ft. high. There is a drain-hole through the south wall at the

south-east corner. The _South Passage_ forms the eastern side. On the

west side is a narrow recess between two boulders, and this appears to

have been roofed over with slate and granite lintels, but the recess is

now blocked up by wall débris. This enclosure appears to have been once

divided into two enclosures, as a broken wall, 5 ft. long, 3 ft. high,

and 3 ft. 6 in. wide, juts out into the interior from the east side.

SOUTH CAVE

This “cave” hardly deserves the name of cave, but as previous writers

gave it this designation the title is retained in this description.

The cave is situated immediately under _South Enclosure A_, and it

opens on to the actual brink of the south precipice, being approached

from both west and east sides by a path built along the top slope of

the precipice. It is formed by a large boulder 16 ft. high and 17 ft.

long, and is between this boulder and the top of the precipice, the

floor being the natural rock of the declivity. It recedes but 3 ft.

to 6 ft. under the boulder and is 7 ft. wide. It is 5 ft. high on the

outside and only 1 ft. 6 in. to 2 ft. at its innermost part. It has

been thoroughly cleaned out, but nothing of any antiquarian value was

found. The boulder beetles outwards towards the face of the precipice.

Immediately in front of this cave and on the south side and at 4 ft.

distance a wall averaging 8 ft. in height runs for 37 ft. towards the

west. The boulder which forms the cave beetles outwards over this wall,

and judging by the block débris, the wall was once continued up to, and

connected with, the rock above. This wall at its western extremity has

a well-built rounded end in a good state of preservation.

On the north side and starting at 10 ft. from the cave and running

west for 46 ft. is a wall 8 ft. high with a rounded end at its eastern

extremity. It starts from the face of the boulder forming the cave, and

is continued until it reaches the interior of the _Western Temple_.

These two walls form a passage averaging a width of 4 ft., though at

the end of the south wall it narrows to 2 ft. 6 in. In the passage are

traces of granite cement steps. This passage on entering the _Western

Temple_ is directly end on with the _Parallel Passage_, which is on the

inside of the main south wall and is separated from it only by the gap

in the outer wall, the main wall having at this point fallen down the

precipice and taken with it the side wall of the passage from the cave.

It is almost certain that this passage was but the extension of the

_Parallel Passage_.

On the eastern side of the cave is a built-up space between the boulder

forming the cave and another boulder further east which beetles

parallel to the precipice for 13 ft. This wall is 10 ft. high and is 6

ft. across.

The path to the east passes under this outer and beetling boulder,

and between the outer side of _South Enclosure A_ and the edge of the

precipice, but here it is so much dilapidated by wall débris falling

from above, that the safer approach to the cave is from the _Western

Temple_.

On the summits of these two large boulders are traces of a substantial

wall once having been carried across them.

SOUTH PASSAGE

This passage is almost opposite the south end of _Buttress Passage_

and leads from the _East Passage_ to the edge of the south precipice,

dividing _South Enclosures A and B_. It is 38 ft. long, from 1 ft. 6

in. to 2 ft. wide, and at each extremity has rounded ends on either

side. The wall on the east side averages 3 ft. to 7 ft. in height, the

highest being at the southern end. The wall on the west side averages 7

ft. to 12 ft. in height.

The existence of this passage was, until July, 1902, unsuspected, as it

had been filled up and entirely covered over with wall débris, across

which was the visitors’ path, which crossed the débris at 7 ft. above

the present exposed floor.

SOUTH ENCLOSURE B

This enclosure is on the east side of _South Passage_, and overlooks

the south precipice. Its area is 37 ft. from east to west, and 31 ft.

from north to south. The wall on the north side is 16 ft. high, and 4

ft. 6 in. wide at 5 ft. from the floor, and is the best-built portion

now remaining. It has three rounded entrances, one from _South Passage_

and two from _East Passage_. Low walls of poor construction subdivide

the enclosure into three compartments, but some portions of these walls

are not believed to be ancient.

SOUTH ENCLOSURE C

This is on the north-east side of _South Enclosure B_, but on a level

of some 6 ft. higher. The area is 41 ft. from east to west, and 19 ft.

from north to south. The eastern wall curves outwards, and is 9 ft.

high. The north side is formed by a large boulder, the west side by a

raised parapet which is the eastern extremity of _East Passage_. There

is one entrance only, and this is in the south-western corner. Here the

south wall is very well built. A wall 3 ft. 6 in. high and 9 ft. long

juts out southwards from the boulder on the north side.

CENTRAL PASSAGE

This passage connects _Cleft Rock Enclosure_ and the _Eastern Temple_

and forms the most direct communication between the western and

eastern extremities of the _Acropolis_. This passage is practically

the north-east extension of _Pattern Passage_, the two joining end on

at the west entrance to the _Eastern Temple_. Cliffs and huge boulders

form the main portion of its sides.

Its length is 76 ft., and its width varies from 3 ft. to 4 ft. 6 in.

There is a sharp rise of 6 ft. going west, at about half-way along its

length.

At the eastern end it lies between two large boulders, the one on the

north side being 12 ft. long and 10 ft. high. This boulder has fallen

from the position it occupied at the time of the ancients, and is come

6 ft. further south, destroying and blocking up the west entrance to

the _Eastern Temple_. The boulder on the south side is 8 ft. long and

14 ft. high, and up against it, and projecting into the passage, was

once a rounded buttress, traces of which now only remain.

At 22 ft. going west is another large boulder, which forms the south

side of the passage for a further 24 ft. This rock beetles right over

the passage, and the open space under the boulder has been carefully

walled up. At 48 ft. the south side is formed for a further 14 ft. by a

low wall, in which are enclosed two boulders. On this side wall are the

remains of a path leading from the passage to _South Enclosure C_, but

a portion of this has crowned in and disappeared.

The north side of the passage from its eastern end is formed by the

boulder, 12 ft. long, just described, and for a further 35 ft. by a

step-back wall 8 ft. high, along the summit of which was a path with

steps leading into the _Eastern Temple_, but now blocked up by large

scales of granite which have fallen from the face of the cliff above.

The western extremity of this passage is formed by two boulders, one

on either side, the one on the south side leaning up against the one

on the north side, thus forming a natural arch 14 ft. long and 10 ft.

high, the path descending about 4 ft. in passing through the archway,

and rising sharply again where it emerges on the opposite end of the

archway into _Cleft Rock Enclosure_, and runs for 27 ft. further west

into the enclosure, where it ends on the south side in a rounded wall

5 ft. high. Large rocks form the north side. In the archway and on the

south side under the boulder is a rock hole 5 ft. broad, 4 ft. deep,

extending under the base of the boulder for 6 ft.

In the passage are traces of steps, but the passage has been greatly

damaged by falls of large slabs from the cliffs.

CHAPTER XVII

THE ACROPOLIS RUINS

(_Continued_)

Eastern Temple—Ancient Balcony—Balcony Enclosure—Balcony

Cave—Gold Furnace Enclosure—Upper Gold Furnace

Enclosure—Pattern Passage—Recess Enclosure—North Plateau—North

Parapet.

THE EASTERN TEMPLE

This temple is situated at the most easterly part of Zimbabwe Hill

Ruins, on the south side of the line of high cliffs and gigantic

boulders which extend from the east to the west along the summit of the

hill. The centre of the present surface of the interior of this temple

is 222 ft. above the valley.

The main wall is built on a wide curve towards the east extending 98

ft. from the south face of the cliff on the north side round to the

south side, thus disposing the area in a quarter section of a circle

with the apex of the section at the north-north-west of the interior.

A cliff rising perpendicularly for 70 ft. from the floor of the temple

forms the north side of the area, and the west side is formed by

colossal boulders some 30 ft. to 50 ft. in height. The heights and the

massiveness of the cliff and boulders lend a peculiar awe-inspiring

appearance to this temple. These granite rocks, tapestried by Nature

in all possible colours and shades of lichen, enclose two sides of

the interior in the form of an amphitheatre, with the highest portion

of the temple floor at the north end, the present surface gradually

sloping down in a fall of 12 ft. towards the curved main and outer

wall to its east and south-eastern points. On the highest part of this

slope are two well-built retaining walls forming terraces behind them.

These are described later.

This temple is considerably better built than is the _Western Temple_

on this hill. The blocks in the walls are more carefully selected and

fit together more perfectly, are of a better class of granite, and the

courses are truer, while it would appear from the extent of purely

artistic detail and finish introduced by the original builders that far

greater skill was bestowed upon its construction than on that of the

_Western Temple_.

[Illustration:

Section of EASTERN TEMPLE Acropolis, Zimbabwe.]

Both temples are built strictly upon the lines of the First Period of

Zimbabwe architecture, all of the features of the Second Period being

altogether absent. Certainly some of the cement work of the higher

floors appears to be ancient, but not of the period of the original

builders, and it is possible that the Second Period ancients occupied

the buildings, and finding them in such excellent condition, had no

need to make repairs or extensions to the walls as they did in so many

scores of First Period ruins throughout the country. The floors of the

original builders of this temple have been opened out by a trench and

exposed at a minimum depth of 4 ft. below the latest floor.

Bent and other writers have stated that this temple is orientated to

the rising of the sun, which can be seen on a level and fairly distant

horizon. The temple obviously affords a splendid natural means for

observing the meridian.

On midwinter day (1902), in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun rose

facing the eastern end of the main wall, and shone on the line of

_Dentelle Pattern_, and also for an hour afterwards shone on the

inside of the south-western end of the wall, and also on that of the

floor. At the end of that time, and until 10.30 a.m., the sun did not

shine on the temple, but only on the inside face of the summit of the

south-west end of the curved main wall, the sun being hidden by the

70-ft. cliff on the north side of the interior. At 11 a.m. it shone

over the cliff on to the south-western side of the interior. Half an

hour before midday the sun shone on the inside of the southern wall and

on the south floor from over the cliff, and also in a single narrow

bar across the floor of the building through the north entrance to the

temple, which is formed by a long and narrow passage between the high

cliffs and some gigantic boulders. The sun shone through this narrow

opening till about half an hour after midday, when the sun had passed

the face of this narrow entrance, and only shone on the south-west and

north-west portions of the interior from over the _Ancient Balcony_,

which is much lower than the cliff, till a little after one o’clock,

the sun then ceasing to shine on the interior for the rest of the day.

At the spot where the line from the point of sunrise at the summer

solstice cuts the midday beam of light which comes through the cliff

entrance on the north, is the site of the ancient altar as determined

by Bent, the site being true south of the north passage. It was at

this spot that Bent found the pottery and soapstone solar discs, the

decorated and plain phalli, the soapstone birds, carved beams, and

decorated bowls resembling Phœnician ware. The writer’s examination

of this spot was rewarded by “finds” of carved soapstone in great

quantities.

[Illustration: Plan of EASTERN TEMPLE Acropolis, Zimbabwe ]

So obviously noticeable is the beam of light at midday that as the sun

quickly passed the end of the long and narrow rock passage the natives

working for the writer fixed their noon “_Tjiya!_” (“Cease work!”) by

it, and this they did on their own initiative.

Another feature may be noticed. A small circle of sunlight, about 2 ft.

diameter, crosses the floor of the temple in a course equal to about a

fifth part of the radius of a circle from the entrance to the _Balcony

Enclosure_ across the floor where Bent fixes the site of the ancient

altar and passes over the eastern wall. This must have been observed by

the ancients, for it is caused by a small opening between two boulders

which they have utilised in “forming” the _Ancient Balcony_. At 3 p.m.

this circle of light in the sunless interior, on the same day, rested

on the spot at which, according to Bent, the ancient altar stood.

On Midsummer Day, 1903, the whole temple area was flooded with sunlight

at noontide.

These particulars are given merely as matters of interest to the

general reader, and scientists are referred to _The Ruined Cities of

Mashonaland_, by Bent, for his calculations as to the orientation of

this temple. Bent has given his opinion, based upon survey, that this

temple was used for observing the summer solstice.

Two points, however, which may bear upon the orientation of this

building and its use in the observation of sunrise and meridian may be

noticed.

(_a_) No other temple which has been surveyed by scientists for the

purpose of ascertaining its orientation, whether at Zimbabwe or

elsewhere in Rhodesia, was so plentifully adorned with monoliths of

carved slate or soapstone as was this temple, no less than thirty

fallen monoliths, and the fractured portions of many others, having

been found at the bases of the walls both inside and outside, while

the débris heaps, which have only been very partially searched, must

yet contain other specimens. No other temple, so far discovered, had

such a profusion of geometrically carved soapstone beams as were

unearthed by Bent and by other explorers before him. This would appear

to still further testify to the importance the ancients attached to the

decoration of this temple, whether used for observing the seasons of

the year and astronomical occurrences or not.

(_b_) The position of the _Dentelle Pattern_ in two courses on the

eastern face of the summit of the main wall is fixed on exactly the

same plan as is shown in so many other ruins of temple buildings in

Rhodesia (and the discovery of the ancient emblems of faith have so

far only been made in buildings so decorated, on identical positions,

with one of the three oldest patterns, namely, Dentelle, Chevron, or

Herring-bone), and as this is so unmistakably seen in the case of

numerous other ruins of similar buildings, the position of the pattern

in this instance can hardly be a mere coincidence.

The _Dentelle Pattern_, which forms a distinguishing feature at the

Zimbabwe ruins both on the hill and in the valley, and which is only

found in First Period buildings, is, in this instance, believed to

have originally extended some 30 ft. further towards the south-west,

as a trace of it still remains on the highest remaining portion of

the 39 ft. length of the main wall. The pattern throughout the 24 ft.

length of main wall is somewhat damaged at several points, and the rows

of stones which in all instances elsewhere covered this pattern have

almost disappeared.

The interior measurements of this temple are as follows: 59 ft. 6 in.

from north to south, the northern point for measurement being the

large roughly built step at the south end of the _North Passage_;

66 ft. from south-east to north-west, the north-west point for

measurement being the step at the bottom of the stairs leading from

the temple to _Balcony Enclosure_; and 50 ft. from west-south-west to

north-north-east.

The main wall is 98 ft. long, measuring along its inside face, and

starts on the eastern side from the south face of the cliff for 10 ft.

to the rounded entrance to the _Gold Furnace Enclosure_. This 10 ft.

length of wall is 8 ft. higher than the interior floor at the cliff

end, and is 5 ft. high at the entrance. The entrance is 3 ft. wide at

the present top and 2 ft. on its floor. From the rounded entrance

the wall runs facing east-south-east for 24 ft. This section of the

main wall stands 8 ft. above the present level of the interior, but 12

ft. 6 in. from an ancient floor exposed in a trench sunk some 4 ft. 6

in. into the present floor. At the south end of this length there is

a gap in the wall of 22 ft., the wall which remains rising only 6 in.

above the present surface of the lowest part of the temple. The wall

starts again at the south end of the gap, and runs for 39 ft. towards

the south-south-west. The highest portion of this length is 11 ft. 3

in. above the ancient floor as exposed in the trench cut along the

interior face of the main wall, the south-western end of the wall being

only 4 ft. higher than the _Western Entrance_, which has been raised at

a later period 5 ft. 6 in. above the original floor of the entrance.

[Illustration: EXTERIOR OF MAIN EAST WALL, SHEWING DENTELLE PATTERN,

EASTERN TEMPLE, ACROPOLIS]

[Illustration: SUNKEN PASSAGE, LOOKING EAST, EASTERN TEMPLE, ACROPOLIS]

The widths of the main wall are as follows:—

The 10 ft. length is 7 ft. wide at the present floor, but was probably

wider, as its eastern face has fallen out into the _Gold Furnace

Enclosure_, which is immediately below. The angle between the east

outside face and the cliff was filled in by a rounded buttress, which

has also collapsed and fallen into the enclosure below.

The 24 ft. length is 4 ft. 7 in. wide on the present summit. At 12 ft.

south of the _Eastern Entrance_, an inner or banquette wall runs along

the inside of the main wall, and stands out 2 ft. at its north end, 7

ft. at south end, till it narrows into and becomes part of the main

wall at the _Western Entrance_.

The 22 ft. length is 5 ft. wide at the bottom of the gap, with a

further width of 3 ft. 6 in., which includes that of the banquette wall.

The 39 ft. length of main wall is 5 ft. wide on the summit, and this

with the width of the banquette wall, which at this point is 5 ft. 6

in. wide, makes a total width of 10 ft. 6 in.

The heights of the main wall from the outer bases are as follows:—

The 10 ft. length is 24 ft. above its base, and this, with the 24

ft. length of main wall, forms the western side of the _Gold Furnace

Enclosure_.

The 24 ft. length is 25 ft. high, and is divided into two depths, one

below the other, 11 ft. and 14 ft., the 11 ft. being the wall and the

14 ft. being a long buttress which starts at 9 ft. from the south side

of the 22 ft. gap and runs to the cliff. The main wall, however, is

continued down to the base of the buttress which is built up against

it. This buttress forms a terraced passage, and was probably the way

the ancients passed from the _Eastern Temple_ to the _Gold Furnace

Enclosure_ below by means of a natural bridge formed by a long and

narrow boulder, the west end of which is built into the buttress, down

the north side of which is a narrow descent with a few block steps

still remaining.

The 39 ft. length is 22 ft. higher than the débris at its outer base,

it is 17 ft. higher than the débris at the centre of the main wall,

and 11 ft. at the steps which lead up from _Pattern Passage_ to the

_Western Entrance_ of the _Eastern Temple_.

On the top of the south banquette wall were most probably steps leading

up to within 2 ft. or 3 ft. of the summit of the wall as if for a

look-out. A rounded buttress stands out 2 ft. 6 in. from the main wall,

and between it and the inner edge of the banquette wall are some blocks

which, though displaced, have fallen in such a way as to provide very

strong grounds for this conjecture.

The _Eastern Entrance_ has a pair of buttresses on a semi-circular

platform projecting 7 ft. into the temple area, the faces of the

buttresses being rounded and flush with the outside edge of this

platform. The buttress on the north-east side is 3 ft., and judging by

débris, it was once at least 7 ft. high. The opposite buttress is now

only 1 ft. 6 in. high. (For measurements of this entrance, see _Main

Wall_.)

Between the south buttress and the banquette wall which runs southwards

along the inside of the wall is another raised platform or “blind

steps,” but very ruined and projecting now only 2 ft. from the main

wall. Among the loose stones on the top of this small platform, which

is 6 ft. long, Bent found one of the soapstone birds which has a

_cystos_, with sections of a carved soapstone beam, all of which are

now in the museum at Capetown.

At the north side of this entrance is a wall 15 ft. long reaching

from the entrance to an angular point in the north cliff. This space

so enclosed was built up inside in the form of steps, or blind steps,

for they led nowhere, resembling the blind steps in _Nos. 7, 9, and 12

Enclosures_, and in the _Sacred Enclosure_ (_west_) in the _Elliptical

Temple_ in the valley. The face of a small buttress protrudes some 18

in. from the face of this wall at about midway. Possibly this may have

been the lowest step of the blind steps built up in this corner. In

1888 this raised platform had on its summit a soapstone bird and beams.

In 1903 two phalli and sections of four soapstone beams were found

here, also small gold beads on and near this platform.

The _North Entrance_ is a narrow and deep rock passage 23 ft. long.

The east side is formed by the north-west end of the north cliff, and

is 45 ft. higher than the floor of the passage, but it beetles over

the passage for 6 ft. beyond its north-western side, and so forms,

with the immense boulders on the north-west side, an almost complete

archway right over the passage. The passage is from 2 ft. to 7 ft. 10

in. wide, but with rounded buttresses, the foundations and débris of

which still remain, and also with a boulder that almost blocks the

passage; the width of the passage throughout its whole length could not

have been more than 2 ft. before the buttresses had become dilapidated.

The passage emerges at its north end on the _North Plateau_ (described

later).

The _West Entrance_ is formed by the rounded end of the western

extremity of the main wall and a large boulder between which it passes.

On its present floor it is only 1 ft. 10 in. wide, the wall side having

some six courses of blocks exposed. The boulder on the north side has

moved some 2 ft. into the entrance since the wall was built, and so

partially closed it up, for originally the floor of the entrance was

fully 5 ft. lower, and passed into the temple without steps. This was

discovered to be the case when the upper portion of _Pattern Passage_

was cleared out (July, 1902), when steps were made over the entrance

débris to enable visitors to pass from _Pattern Passage_ into the

temple.

The remains of another raised platform—but this one of granite

cement—are on the west side of the interior immediately on the

left-hand side on entering the temple at the west entrance. This

platform is now ruined owing to its having been trodden on by oxen when

this temple was used as a cattle kraal. In 1888 three large soapstone

birds on tall beams stood on this platform, but in 1890 were removed by

Bent, and are now in the museum at Capetown. The holes in the cement

made by Bent on digging out the bases of the beams can still be seen.

From 6 ft. north of this last-mentioned platform is some semi-circular

clay-work rising in three tiers. Possibly these were steps leading up

to the highest terraced level of the interior, but it may be doubted

whether they had any claim to antiquity.

_Sunken Passage._—This passage runs from south-west to north-east under

the present floor of the Eastern Temple for 23 ft., starting from

inside the banquette wall at 8 ft. east of the west entrance. Its depth

is 9 ft. below the surface of interior of temple, but its side walls

are only 7 ft. high. It is 4 ft. wide at the south end and 6 ft. wide

at the north. At north-east end is a rounded buttress 5 ft. high. No

approach or steps down into the passage have so far been discovered.

The passage terminates at the large buttress (already mentioned), the

summit of which is 4 ft. below the surface, is situated within 3 ft.

and immediately in front of Bent’s “altar.” The east side wall of the

passage is better built than the west side.

_Bent’s “altar.”_—This “altar” was stated by Bent to be 10 ft. nearer

to the rising sun at the solstice than the centre of the arc of the

curved, massive, and decorated main wall. Surveyors having located

this spot, examinations were made in 1903, with the result that some

twenty-five phalli, also some sections of phalli, and of carved

portions of soapstone beams and bowls, were found within 3 ft. of this

spot on two sides, and all within a few minutes of each other. This is

by far the largest “find” of phalli ever made at Zimbabwe. At this spot

Bent also made his largest “find” of phalli, solar discs, and other

relics. The large soapstone birds were found 3 ft. or 4 ft. further

south-west of the “altar.” Messrs. Posselt, who resided and farmed at

Zimbabwe in 1888 and before the Occupation, wished to remove these

birds, but the previous Mogabe (Chipfuno) refused his consent.

_Internal walls._—On the north side of the interior of this temple is

a wall acting as a retaining wall, with filled-in ground behind it

forming a terrace. This upper terrace is at the highest point of the

floor of the temple, and is 16 ft. long, 4 ft. high, and 2 ft. 6 in. on

the summit. Judging by the amount of débris, this terrace had in all

probability a parapet wall along its summit. The wall runs from N. 25°

E. to S. 20° W., and starts from the south side of a huge boulder at 16

ft. north-west of the _North Entrance_.

On the south-west side and at the north-west end of the interior of the

temple, and corresponding with the first terraced wall just described,

is another terrace wall 12 ft. long and 3 ft. high, running eastwards

from the south side of the cliff which forms the north-west side of

the temple and the south-west side of the passage which runs from the

_Cleft Rock Enclosure_ to this temple. The two corresponding terraces

form a junction with an abutment wall projecting south-east for 2 ft. 6

in. This projection is 2 ft. high and 5 ft. 6 in. wide.

Immediately in front of this projection on the south-east side and

sloping down for some distance towards the lower part of the temple is

some cement work, which, though old, does not appear to be ancient, for

it contains splinters of time-worn monoliths which show signs of having

once stood upon one of the walls. The purpose of this cement projection

is not clearly seen, for tree roots have easily passed through such

rough cement and have torn it out of all shape, besides which it has

become decomposed and soft.

Between the angle formed by this last-described terraced wall and the

projection just mentioned is a very rudely cemented floor also much

decomposed. The few steps leading up from the flooring at this point

towards the path to the _Cleft Rock Enclosure_ are quite modern, having

been built by the writer to enable visitors to pass over the débris of

a large rounded buttress which once stood against the north-west side

of the nearest boulder. From the top of this débris pile steps of an

ancient character, and more or less defined, continue up the slope at

the foot of the south side of the cliff where runs a path towards the

_Cleft Rock Enclosure_.

A second and lower terrace is 4 ft. long and 4 ft. high, and is carried

on a red cement foundation 18 in. thick. It terminates abruptly on the

south-west extremity in a broken end. This wall juts out from the south

side of the north cliff at 15 ft. east of the _North Entrance_, and

runs south-west. Immediately behind this wall is a second wall running

parallel with it, the face of the second or back wall actually touching

the back of the front wall. This back wall runs south-west for 5 ft.

beyond the end of the front wall, where it also terminates in a broken

end. It is 3 ft. high, but in all probability it was once much higher.

The _Balcony Enclosure_, which is at the north-west end of the temple

and is described later, provided another entrance to this temple, the

_Balcony Enclosure_ being approached from the west and north sides

respectively by the passage through the _Balcony Cave_ and the ascent

from _Rock Holes Path_.

The _Ancient Balcony_ is at the north-west end of the temple, the whole

interior of which it overlooks, and appears to have acted for this

temple in the same manner and for the same purposes as _The Platform_

of the _Western Temple_ and _The Platform_ in the _Elliptical Temple_

in the valley. This _Ancient Balcony_ is described later.

The interior of this temple has been used by the past and present

Makalanga as a cattle kraal, and very possibly the cattle have trodden

any cement work out of shape. It was found to be covered with a thick

stratum of cattle manure, which again was covered by wall débris, and

still further by a foot depth of rich vegetable mould thickly matted

with roots of creepers, shrubs, and trees.

THE ANCIENT BALCONY

At the north-west end of the _Eastern Temple_, and at the highest point

of the interior and immediately behind the higher of the terraced walls

before described, fourteen steps, eight of granite cement and six of

blocks, lead for 26 ft. in a north-westerly direction up a passage-way

formed on the south side by a cliff, and on the north side by two large

boulders. Each step is 5 in. high and extends back 18 in. The ascending

passage is 7 ft. wide at its lowest part, and narrows to a creep-hole

between the cliff and the upper of the two large boulders to just the

size that will permit of a man passing through by stooping.

Over this passage are two colossal boulders, held up in a horizontal

position by the cliff, the level top of the southernmost being 26 ft.

above the bottom of the steps, which are exactly underneath. The steps

are laid on cement, and probably are of a late period, at any rate

there is evidence that they have been very considerably repaired.

Immediately facing the top of the steps, and 4 ft. above the

creep-hole, is a rounded buttress projecting from the side of the

cliff, and measuring 15 ft. in circumference. The highest part faces

east, and is still 9 ft. 6 in. in height, while the north-west side is

considerably dilapidated.

This passage is the approach to the _Ancient Balcony_ and _Balcony

Enclosure_. Following up the passage, and turning to the right at the

top, one ascends a bank with traces of steps between the boulder which

forms the creep-hole, and a wall on the north, and arrives on the

_Balcony_.

The _Balcony_ is formed by the level and parallel tops of the

horizontal boulders, and is 39 ft. long, and at its widest part 12 ft.

10 in. On the south-east side is a parapet wall from 1 to 3 ft. present

reduced height, and 2 ft. 6 in. wide.

The _Balcony_ is 248 ft. above the valley, and commands a most

extensive view to the south-east, including the _Elliptical Temple_ in

the valley, and the _Schlichter Gorge_, which extends into a sea of

romantically shaped summits of kopjes and blue distances. The _Balcony_

commands a complete view of the whole of the interior of the _Eastern

Temple_.

BALCONY ENCLOSURE

The length of this enclosure from north to south is 51 ft., and the

average width from 15 ft. to 20 ft., the whole of the sides being

formed by cliff and boulders, except on the north side, where a space

between two large boulders has been built up by the ancients. This wall

is 9 ft. long and 11 ft. high.

The wall extending from the north-east corner of the _Balcony_, and

on the north side, except for one short length, is not ancient. Local

Makalanga state their people of some two or three generations back

re-erected the wall on the old foundation. This is obviously the fact.

But an entrance from the _North Plateau_ was once at this point, and

led down steps on the outside, going west between two large boulders

zigzag downwards to the _Rock Holes Path_.

BALCONY CAVE

At the west end of this enclosure is a steep descent of 36 ft. between

two boulders into _Balcony Cave_ formed by a cliff, the east face of

which beetles over the descent. The cave is 19 ft. wide at the bottom

and is very much filled in with wall débris, silted soil, and large

scales of granite off the face of the overhanging rock. This cave

formed an entrance into the _Balcony Enclosure_ from the _Rock Holes

Path_, which runs along the north-west face of the cliff, only on a

very much lower level. A wall 18 ft. high starts from the bottom of the

cave and is built across it on the north side, running west to east.

This wall is partly rounded on the upper portion. At 7 ft. from the

ground the lower part of this wall has collapsed and blocked up the

exit. Another wall 8 ft. long and 6 ft. high and in two rising tiers

crosses from side to side at a higher level. Two almost perfectly

shaped monoliths, very much weather-worn, were found among the débris

in this cave.

GOLD FURNACE ENCLOSURE

This enclosure is 12 ft. lower than the _Eastern Temple_, the outer

face of the eastern main wall for 15 ft. forming its west side. On all

other sides it is surrounded by cliff and boulders, a continuation of

the north cliff of the _Eastern Temple_ forming its north side. The

area is 46 ft. from west to east, and 32 ft. from north to south. At

the south-west corner is a chasm 14 ft. long, 2 ft. to 5 ft. wide,

and 11 ft. high running between the front base of the temple wall

and the west end of the huge boulder, 44 ft. long, which forms the

southern side of the enclosure. The chasm leads out of the enclosure

to the south side of the outer wall of the temple. It was once much

larger, but owing to silting in of soil and débris, and the falling

of decomposed slabs of granite from its roof, it has become narrowed

and shallowed. Along the buttress which forms the lower part of the

east front of the temple wall was a path from the east entrance of

the temple to the top of the chasm, which was further arched with

granite slabs making a wider bridge, and this led to the floor of

this enclosure by means of steps which ran down the north face of the

boulder on the south-west side of the enclosure.

It was in this enclosure that Bent believed he had discovered ancient

gold furnaces. At the south-east corner is an open space 9 ft. wide,

which once had a rounded buttress on either side. Beyond this point the

ground falls rapidly to the south towards the edge of the precipice.

Under the cliff are holes hardly deep enough to be termed caves, and

these have been reduced in size by the silting in of soil.

UPPER GOLD FURNACE ENCLOSURE

This is situated at the north-east corner of the _Gold Furnace

Enclosure_, but on a level of 4 ft. higher. Separating the two

enclosures is a well-built wall 10 ft. long with a rounded entrance in

the centre.

The greatest width of this enclosure is 9 ft. at the entrance, and its

length is 44 ft., but it is very narrow except for about 12 ft. in the

middle of the length. The south end runs between and under boulders,

while the north end includes a cave under the continuation of the cliff

which forms the north sides of the _Eastern Temple_ and the _Gold

Furnace Enclosure_. This cave has also been reduced in size by the

filling in of débris and soil.

PATTERN PASSAGE

This passage runs for 51 ft. along the outside of the south and

south-west portion of the curved main wall of the _Eastern Temple_.

In the south-west portion the passage is 2 ft. wide, and formerly its

floor throughout this section was level with that of the present floor

of _Recess Enclosure_, but a large boulder at the west entrance to the

_Eastern Temple_ having slipped and disturbed the entrance walls,

steps have recently been erected to enable visitors to climb over the

débris heap.

[Illustration: EAST ENTRANCE TO PATTERN PASSAGE, ACROPOLIS]

[Illustration: PATTERN PASSAGE, LOOKING EAST, ACROPOLIS]

On the west side of the northern length of the passage the wall is 11

ft. high, the upper portion receding from the passage at 8 ft. above

the level of the floor at the foot of the newly-erected steps, and

in the recess so formed is what appears to be a decorative pattern

of original form made of rows of blocks, each row at the back of the

other, and rising backwards in miniature steps or shelves. But these

rows are not believed to have been intended or used as steps, as the

lines of blocks on either side round off to come flush with the face

of the wall and become part of the wall at each end, and are continued

as ordinary courses in the faces of the wall. The exact correctness

of these step-like rows and curves of blocks is remarkable. For the

present, and until the purpose of these steps can be ascertained, this

feature is called _Step Pattern_. It has been suggested that these

steps must have formed a post for a guard to protect the _Western

Entrance_ to the temple.

The wall opposite the approach to _Pattern Passage_ from _Recess

Enclosure_ is 8 ft. high, and rises to 17 ft., as the floor of the

southern section of the passage descends somewhat sharply. The southern

section terminates at the rounded end of the east wall of _Recess

Enclosure_, which here is rather a fine piece of dry masonry. Formerly

this section had steps let into the wall on either side, fragments of

such stones still projecting from the walls, the foundations of which

have been laid bare, and at one point undermined. This vandalism is not

the work of archæologists, but of unauthorised prospectors for gold

relics, who have torn up the whole length of stairs and pavement, not

only in this passage, but in every other passage on the hill which was

not protected by being filled in with wall débris.

RECESS ENCLOSURE[61]

This is an almost complete enclosure on the south side of the _Eastern

Temple_, and separated from it by a deep and narrow passage, now known

as _Pattern Passage_. Formerly a passage-way ran along the west side of

the enclosure from north to south. The area of this enclosure is—south

side, 17 ft. 6 in., north side 18 ft., west side 25 ft., and east side

20 ft. The surface shows signs of the enclosure having been filled in

above its original floor by some later occupiers. The south wall has

collapsed except for about 4 ft. at its west end, and this section is 8

ft. high, but the foundations of the rest of this wall are practically

intact. The north wall is considerably broken, its highest point being

now only 5 ft. above the present floor. The west wall, which is intact,

is formed by the outer wall of a building erected at a much higher

level, called _South Enclosure C_. This wall is 22 ft. high, and is in

two parts—the upper part being rounded outwards at the extremities, and

the centre rounded inwards. This wall is exceedingly well built, and

is one of the finest pieces of masonry to be seen on the _Acropolis_,

and shows very great architectural skill on the part of the ancient

builders.

The south wall is now only 8 ft. to 9 ft., and on the inside face

has a row of five vertical recesses built in the wall and flush with

its face. These are altogether unlike anything yet discovered in any

ancient ruins,[62] except, perhaps, at _No. 1 Ruin_ at _Khami_. The

widths of the faces of the wall between the recesses from north to

south are 2 ft. 4 in., 1 ft. 9 in., 1 ft. 10 in., 1 ft. 7 in., and 1

ft. 8 in., and these are separated from each other by perpendicular

crevices, each 5 in. wide. Most probably the recesses were once

considerably higher. What practical purpose they could have served is

at present impossible to state, but it has always been held that they

probably once contained wooden beams.

[Illustration: WEST WALL, RECESS ENCLOSURE, ACROPOLIS]

[Illustration: THE RECESSES, RECESS ENCLOSURE, ACROPOLIS]

The north-west entrance has rounded walls, and from the east side

of this entrance are the remains of a passage wall running south.

This wall is 6 ft. long, 2 ft. 6 in. high, and 2 ft. 6 in. wide; the

foundations of this wall run almost as far as the south wall of the

enclosure.

All the walls of this enclosure are well built.

In the north-east corner is an excavated hole, showing a wall running

parallel to the east wall at a depth lower than the present floor of

the enclosure. The north end of the east wall is beautifully rounded

and tapers from its base to present summit, its face forming the south

side of the east end of _Pattern Passage_.

NORTH PLATEAU

This plateau is situated to the north of the _Eastern Temple_ and at

the north of the cliffs, which form its north-east and north sides.

Its shape is that of a quarter of a circle—the east side being formed

by cliffs running towards the north-east, and the south side by huge

boulders running out towards the north-west, the apex being at the

north end of the _North Passage_ of the _Eastern Temple_. The area from

north to south is 67 ft., and from east to west 53 ft., the outer and

open side being supported by a terrace wall extending along the front

for 43 ft. This terraced wall is well built for this length. It has

a drop from the outer surface edge of this plateau of 11 ft. Traces

of a continuation of this wall across the gorge on the north side on

to the opposite shoulder of the kopje can be seen; but the Makalanga

state that the superstructure built upon these traces was made by their

people long ago, and, indeed, this is very obvious. A Makalanga-built

wall juts out from the north-east side a few feet towards the

_Visitors’ Path_ to this plateau. The plateau is covered with the clay

foundations of the circular huts of the Makalanga, who up to four years

ago had their kraal on the northern summit of the hill.

NORTH PARAPET

This structure is at the outer and northern base of the large curved

main wall of the _Western Temple_, on which are the small towers and

monoliths, where it curves towards the north-east and runs parallel

with it for 44 ft. In this parapet is a rising passage with steps

leading from the _North-West Ancient Ascent_ up to the main wall, where

it once passed through it and curved into _Platform Enclosure_ where it

can still be walked along. The point where this passage went through

the main wall has been blocked up by the Makalanga, and the wall is

so very dilapidated that it would be altogether unsafe to clear the

entrance of the obstructing blocks.

The parapet was evidently once more extended towards the east, but the

fall of débris from the broken end of the main wall has carried the

parapet below away.

The western extremity of this parapet is formed by a wall 11 ft. long

projecting at right angles from the foot of the main wall. This wall

is 8 ft. high and is 4 ft. wide on its present reduced summit. From

opposite the north end of this wall commences the west side wall of the

ancient ascent described later.

Immediately on the east side of the wall forming the western extremity

of the parapet there are steps rising 3 ft. 6 in. facing north and

leading up to the sunken passage on the parapet, and above these steps

the passage turns east at right angles along the centre of the parapet.

The width of the parapet is 11 ft., and this width is divided as

follows: width of passage 3 ft., of outer parapet wall 4 ft., and of

inner wall 3 ft. 6 in. The passage rises 8 ft. between where it enters

the _North Parapet_ and where it rounds off towards the south-east

through the main wall. The outer and inner walls are 3 ft. to 4 ft.

above the passage floor, but the outer wall was probably once very much

higher. There are traces of steps in the passage.

The height of the north face of the _North Parapet_ from above the

filled-in floor on the outside is from 9 ft. to 11 ft. This floor

contains the remains of a rather old Makalanga hut.

A parapet wall of a similar character runs from the western end of

_North Parapet_ along the outer base of the main wall, and this is

described later under the title of _Western Parapet_.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE ACROPOLIS RUINS

(_Continued_)

North-West Ancient Ascent—Water Gate Ruins—Terraced Enclosures

on North-West Face of Zimbabwe Hill—South Terrace—Ruins on

South Face of Zimbabwe Hill—Outspan Ruins.

NORTH-WEST ANCIENT ASCENT

Unfortunately in describing this ascent it is necessary to commence at

the summit and work downwards instead of upwards. The amount of débris

which covered its lower lengths precluded the tracing of the ascent

from below, and further it is only the higher lengths which have been

cleared out, though now the lower parts can be easily followed.

The ascent begins at the _Water Gate_ at the north-west base of the

hill, and terminates at _The Platform_ which overlooks the _Eastern

Temple_ on the Acropolis. Its total length is a little more than 500 ft.

Walking across the north-west face of the hill it would have been

impossible to discover this ascent owing to the confusing number of

lines of foundations and outcrops of walls running in all directions

over the side of the hill, and the intermediate ground being so much

covered with blocks. The idea that this ascent existed along its

present lines was suggested by viewing the face of the hill from

Mogabe’s kraal, which is on the opposite side of the north-west valley.

From this point the step-like form of the side of the hill can be seen

as a whole, and it appears obvious that artificial means had been

employed in making the lines of projection on the side of the hill.

These were subsequently examined, with the result that sections of a

passage-way downwards were found in one chain extending from the summit

to the base of the hill, though there were some long gaps between the

sections, while the sections themselves were filled in up to where the

side walls out-cropped for a few inches.

The sections of this ancient ascent, commencing at the summit, are as

follows:—

(_a_) Passage through _Platform Enclosure_ 72 ft. long (see _Platform

Enclosure_).

(_b_) Passage through main wall 16 ft. long (do.).

(_c_) Passage along _Northern Parapet_ 28 ft. long (see _Northern

Parapet_).

(_d_) Section of ascent between _Northern Parapet_ and the old

visitors’ path which the ascent crosses 233 ft. long.

(_e_) Section between Visitors’ Path and the _Water Gate_, which is at

the lowest point of the ascent, over 600 ft. long.

(_f_) _Water Gate_ (see _Water Gate_).

The first three sections have already been described.

_Section (d)._—This extends from the _Northern Parapet_ to the old

visitors’ path. The passage on leaving the parapet turns north-west

for 41 ft. The walls on either side are from 3 ft. to 5 ft. high, but

these heights are increased on either side by a further 2 ft. or 3 ft.,

owing to the depth of soil and block débris lying along the summits of

the side walls, the passage for this length being found buried for this

depth below the surface of the face of the hill. This length of passage

is 2 ft. to 3 ft. in width. At 31 ft. from the upper end of this length

and on the east side is a rounded entrance leading into an enclosure

which is completely buried under débris and silted soil.

At the bottom end of this length of 41 ft. the passage turns due east

for 32 ft., the corner wall being rounded. At this corner a passage

from the west side enters the ascent, but this passage is at present

buried in débris. The width of the ascent here averages 4 ft. to 5 ft.

6 in., but it is narrowed at one point to 2 ft. 6 in. by a rounded

buttress projecting from the north side into the ascent. The heights

of the walls for this length are: south side 6 ft. to 8 ft., with

several feet depth of débris on its summit; north side 4 ft. to 8 ft.

The ascent in this length has a fall of 6 ft. At the bottom of this

length on the south side, and fronting up the ascent, is a rounded

buttress in form of a quarter section of a circle, and this is 11 ft.

round its base. It has a further buttress on its west side and traces

of another on its east side, and between these two buttresses are the

remains of steps, but a tree growing out of the steps has caused their

dilapidation.

From this buttress the passage turns due north for 75 ft.; its eastern

side from 28 ft. to 56 ft. of this length had fallen into the passage,

but the rest of that side of the passage is still practically intact.

Along this length the passage is deeply sunk into the face of the hill.

The widths average from 2 ft. 10 in. to 6 ft. The side walls are of

the following heights above the passage floor: east side, 7 ft. to

10 ft.; west side, 5 ft. to 10 ft. On either side of this length are

enclosures which are completely filled in with débris and buried, but

the entrances to these can be seen. This length of passage was found

(October, 1902) to be completely buried, even for some feet above the

10 ft. side walls, and the floors of Makalanga huts were built across

them and the passage.

At the 63 ft. point in this length are two entrances, one on either

side of the passage. The one on the east side is rounded and is 6 ft.

high, and steps are formed by the curving inwards of the courses of the

wall. This leads into an enclosure until recently filled in and buried,

and this enclosure is mentioned in the description of the _North-West

Face of Zimbabwe Hill_, where it is described as being typical of so

many other enclosures on this side of the hill. On the opposite side of

the passage the entrance there is angular on one side and rounded on

the other. Its side walls are 6 ft. high. This entrance is blocked up

in the same manner as was the ascent. This leads into another buried

enclosure, a portion of which has been cleared out and examined. The

passage along the 75 ft. length has a fall of 11 ft.

[Illustration: SUNKEN PASSAGE, SECTION OF NORTH-WEST ASCENT, ACROPOLIS]

[Illustration: HERRING-BONE PATTERN, WATER GATE RUINS, ZIMBABWE]

At the bottom end of this length and going north is an enclosed area

triangular in shape 47 ft. long, and with the apex resting in the lower

end, where the passage becomes narrowed to 2 ft. 6 in. This area and

the corresponding area of similar shape in the _South-East Ancient

Ascent_ appear to have been intended to serve a similar purpose—that

is, to enable a crowd of defenders on a high level to act against two

or three bands of the attacking party on a lower level and in a narrow

passage. Into this area open out at least three entrances from buried

enclosures on either side. The area has in its length a fall of 9 ft.

At the foot of this triangular-shaped area the passage runs north for

38 ft. It is 2 ft. to 4 ft. wide, and the side walls are 4 ft. high.

The fall in this length is 5 ft. At the northern end of this length and

crossing it at right angles is the old path used by visitors in making

the ascent of the hill.

_Section (e)._—This extends from the old path used by visitors

ascending the hill, down to the _Water Gate_.

From the Visitors’ Path the descent to the _Water Gate_ is somewhat

uninteresting, the passage walls being very much dilapidated, the

upper side wall being particularly damaged, having been subject to the

full force of falls of block débris down the face of the hill. In this

way the lower side walls, having been so protected, are in a somewhat

better condition.

Starting down from the path there appears to be a chaos of stones

for some 15 ft., but still the passage can be traced. As there are

several lines of well-laid blocks close to the crossing of the path

and passage, it is quite probable that side passages ran into the main

passage at this point. At the 15 ft. down a very wide wall 4 ft. to 5

ft. high runs down the north side of the passage for 140 ft.

The south side shows an unburied wall 30 ft. long and about 3 ft.

high. At 80 ft. from the Visitors’ Path the passage opens out into

a triangular space 25 ft. wide, with the apex resting at the lowest

point of the steep enclosure. Such triangular spaces on the lines of

steep passages are not uncommon, being found at several ruins. There is

one higher up the same ascent, and another on the South-East Ancient

Ascent. In each case the descent is steep, and the lowest point of the

triangular area rests on a narrow passage coming up from below.

At 140 ft. below the Visitors’ Path the north wall alone is standing,

and this runs downwards for 50 ft. This wall is 4 ft. high and is

rather wide. The south wall is now represented only by a line of wall

débris running parallel with the north wall.

At 190 ft. the passage becomes lost, but exactly parallel and at a

distance of 20 ft. south is the commencement of another passage.

Probably the upper length takes a sharp turn west under a pile of

débris which lies between the two passages. This second passage has a

buried wall 3 ft. high on the south side. On the north side the wall

is 150 ft. long, and on this length the south wall has practically

disappeared.

At the down side of this length the passage becomes far better defined,

having side walls from 3 ft. to 5 ft. high, and 3 ft. wide on their

summits. The passage here takes a sharp turn towards the north for 50

ft., then to the south-west for 25 ft., and again to the north for

almost 100 ft., the side walls being intact for this length, the east

wall being from 4 ft. to 7 ft. high, and the passage 2 ft. 6 in. wide.

This is the best-preserved portion of the lower half of the _Ascent_.

The west side walls are from 3 ft. to 4 ft. high. Between these walls

are traces of steps, also a few buttresses, all rounded.

At the end of this length the passage is continued between walls 4

ft. high to its extremity, before reaching which it takes some sharp

W-shaped turns and terminates in very well-built walls.

The _Water Gate_ faces this point at 100 ft. distance, only at a lower

level of some 30 ft. to 40 ft. The side of the hill is here very

steep, and is faced in parts with granite glacis, between which the

path descended to the _Water Gate_. Converging on the extremity of the

passage are traces of other passages from each side, which give the

impression that the _North-West Ascent_ was the main approach to the

summit of the _Acropolis_ from this side of the hill.

THE WATER GATE RUINS

This is situated at the lowest extremity of the North-West Ancient

Ascent to the Acropolis, and forms its approach and entrance from the

valley on the west and north sides of Zimbabwe Hill. It has been styled

the Water Gate on account of there being immediately in front of it a

large donga (water-hole), one of the chain of dongas which run round

the hill from the south-west to the north-east, and are believed to be

artificial, but have become reduced from the original area and depth

by the silting in from the side of the hill during a very long period

of sub-tropical rains. Sections of walls have been discovered at great

depth in these dongas.

This entrance forms part of a long line of wall which runs round the

base of the hill for some two or three hundred yards, and is called

the Inner Defence Wall, in which on the south-west side of the hill is

another large entrance, known as the Outspan Ruins. This line of wall

is in some places very well defined, being from 2 ft. to 4 ft. above

the level of the veld, but some lengths of it are mere lines of stone

débris or ridges of mounds full of blocks; but seen from some heights

up the face of the opposite hill it can be traced throughout its length.

The gateway is exceedingly well constructed, and the curves of the ends

of the walls which form its sides are very bold and massive. Though

it is distant over 900 ft. from the main ruins on the summit of the

hill, it must be admitted to be a very good example of entrances of the

earliest ancient period. But the construction of the wall on either

side of this entrance, and at some little distance from it, becomes

only fairly good, and at a still greater distance roughly built, and

yet the entrance and the line of wall are of the same original plan.

This grading off of the quality of construction on either side of the

entrance and at some little distance from it is also seen in many

other entrances which are not in proximity to the main ruins. The line

of the Inner Defence Wall in which this entrance is inserted curves

outwards towards the west-north-west from about 30 ft. on either side

of it. The entrance is thus in the centre of the curve, and faces

west-north-west. It is 2 ft. 10 in. wide, and 7 ft. from outside to

inside. The side wall on the south is 7 ft. 6 in. high above the steps,

and on the north 5 ft. 6 in., though on either side the present reduced

summit of the wall is from 2 ft. to 4 ft. higher at a few feet from the

entrance. Like all main entrances, save one, at Zimbabwe, it is without

portcullis grooves, these having been found in rounded entrances in

internal and divisional walls. The wall on the south side is 8 ft. wide

on the floor of the entrance, and 7 ft. 6 in. on the north side. There

are remains of three steps on the entrance which commence flush with

the front faces of the two side walls. These are greatly dilapidated,

but it can be seen that they form part of the foundations of the wall.

One stone of what is left in the front row is considerably worn on the

top, as if it had been trodden on for many generations.

As in very many entrances of the earliest style of ancient

architecture—for instance, the main entrance to the Elliptical

Temple—the walls on either side widen out as they approach the

entrance. In this instance the walls widen out from 4 ft. and 5 ft. to

8 ft. as the entrance is neared. There are also traces of buttresses

on either hand on the inner sides of the entrance, also of a few steps

ascending into the interior of the enclosed area.

The front face of the wall on the north side is 5 ft. above the veld,

but the summit increases in height towards the interior face of the

wall, as most of the dilapidations have taken place on the outer side

of the wall. The front face of the south wall is 7 ft. in height, and

the summit of this wall ascends much higher towards its inner face.

At 12 ft. from the entrance, along the face of the south wall, it is

clearly seen where the excellent workmanship of the entrance grades off

to an inferior construction in the continuation of the wall southwards.

The line of wall on the south side is more or less intact for 48 ft.,

at which point it becomes lost in débris and silted soil, though its

line of route can of course be traced much further. The wall on the

north side extends for 90 ft., but from this point northward it is very

easy to follow the course of its débris.

The interior faces of the wall, for about 30 ft. on either side of the

entrance, are still in a good condition, and are from 4 ft. to 7 ft.

above the inside cleared-out level.

On the inner face of the south wall, at 5 ft. above the present level

of the enclosed area, is a herring-bone pattern which directly faces

east-south-east. The pattern remaining is 3 ft. 6 in. long, and 1 ft.

2 in. deep, and is formed of tile-like blocks, varying from 10 in.

to 1 ft. 3 in. in length. Judging by the positions of the stones, it

is highly probable that this pattern extends at least 2 ft. further

towards the entrance. The usual frame for this pattern, and also for

Dentelle and Chevron Patterns, is still good for three courses at its

south end. The size of the stones employed in this pattern is above

the average size used for the same pattern in other ruins, and is

somewhat larger than those in the pattern at Little Umnukwana Ruins, in

the M’Pateni district, where the average length of the stones is 10 in.

So far this is the only herring-bone pattern discovered at Zimbabwe. It

was first noticed by Mr. J. W. Clarke, of Victoria, in September, 1902.

From immediately behind this entrance the north-west face of the hills

rises very sharply, so much so that the rains of many years have silted

soil to a great depth behind the walls. Rain-water would naturally be

guided by the contour of this part of the hill towards this entrance,

so that the area behind it has become filled up to a very much higher

level than in the time of the original occupiers. Some two dozen cubic

feet of this silted soil was cleared out of the entrance in October,

1902, and while the work was progressing a heavy storm, lasting only an

hour, broke over Zimbabwe. On visiting the entrance later in the day it

was found that this one shower had caused the almost entire filling up

of the excavation by mud streams, which had washed down the side of the

hill.

Immediately in front of the outer faces of this entrance and running

parallel with this length of the Inner Defence Wall, and at a distance

of 90 ft. from it, are the remains of a line of wall almost hidden in

débris. This wall can be traced for a distance of at least 130 ft.,

and there appears to have been a passage or entrance through it at a

point almost due north of the Water Gate. Further to the north and

north-west of this wall is a donga, and on the north-north-west of this

donga runs the outer defence wall, which is at least 600 yds. long, and

encloses the line of dongas from west of the Elliptical Temple with the

north-east of the base of Zimbabwe Hill. In this Outer Defence Wall

is an opening, and in all probability, judging by the arrangement of

the wall débris and the contour of the ground, a gateway or entrance

was once situated at this point. This opening in the Outer Defence

Wall, the traces of an entrance in the ruined wall in front of the

Water Gate, and the Water Gate entrance are all in one line, and the

line is further made complete by the remains of two small walls in

the donga itself, which equally divide its width, as if these walls

either carried or supported a bridge; or at any rate afforded the means

for crossing the donga. In fact, the size of these dongas and their

relative positions appear to indicate that on this side of the hill the

Acropolis was further defended by water. These two small walls show

signs of having had rounded entrances in their centres.

Taking into consideration the line of the three entrances, the fact

that the ancient ascent through the Water Gate leads into the heart

of the main ruins of the Acropolis, and further that the contour of

the ground beyond the Outer Defence Wall indicates the direction in

which a road from Zimbabwe to the north and north-west must take, it

is reasonable to conjecture that the ancient road from Zimbabwe in

that direction passed on the north side of the Makuma Kopje, on which

Mogabe’s kraal is now located.

TERRACED ENCLOSURES ON NORTH-WEST FACE OF ZIMBABWE HILL

About forty or fifty ledges protrude in step form up the north-west

face of Zimbabwe Hill from the valley below up to the front of the west

main wall of the _Western Temple_, and these projections are not only

upwards in terrace form, but broadways, extending across the entire

length of the north-west face of the hill.

The best view of these ledges is obtained from _Makuma Kopje_, on which

is Mogabe’s kraal. From this point it is seen that these projections

must have been artificially made. So great has been the fall of

wall débris, and the washing of soil for many centuries by heavy

sub-tropical rains down the hillside, that even the outer faces, or

retaining walls, of many of these projecting ledges or platforms are

completely buried, and their outline can but barely be traced owing to

the absence of any outcrop of walls. In fact, the whole of this face of

the hill for over 300 yds. upwards, and the same distance broadways, is

but a chaos of fallen blocks, and the visitor, while walking over this

area, sees infinitely less of their arrangement and plan than can be

seen at a distance of a third of a mile from the opposite kopje.

These terraces are not disposed in lines across the hill as are the

_Hill Terraces_ of _Inyanga_, but each is independent of the other.

Nor do they in any point resemble the terrace system of the retaining

walls so often met with in ruins of the Second Period of Zimbabwe

architecture.

Several of these projecting areas on the steep face of the hill have

recently been cleared of the débris which has in so many instances

completely covered them, and rendered their form but a mere suggestion

of an outline. The outer faces of some of the terrace walls have been

laid bare, and their construction is seen to be of true Zimbabwe

building of the First Period, all features of the Second Period, so far

as examinations have extended, being altogether absent.

The walls are not built on straight lines but on curves, some of the

curves being laid on bold lines, in some instances amounting to a

semi-circle. The angular wall is absent. The construction of most of

the walls is superior to that of Second Period walls. There is no

promiscuous filling-up of the interiors of the walls. The walls are as

well built on the inside as they are on their outside faces, and they

possess the true Zimbabwe batter-back, and such entrances as have been

discovered are excellently rounded.

The spaces between the outside edge of the summits of these walls in

front and the rising surface of the hill behind them have been levelled

by falling débris, but there is no lack of evidence to show that, where

not wholly filled in naturally in the course of time, the work of

their complete filling-in has been systematically carried out by people

who were not the original builders. On clearing the irregular surfaces

of these ledges of débris it was found that the areas were rudely

covered with red clay or _daka_, and on this flooring were the clay

foundations of Makalanga huts, with piles of buck bones and quantities

of charcoal and bits of iron slag. Mogabe’s headmen state that these

hut foundations are not those of Makalanga of their time, as Mogabe’s

kraal, and that of Mokomo before him, though on the north side of the

hill, were situated much higher up the hill and much nearer to, or even

among, the main ruins. Nor do they belong to Makalanga of sixty years

ago, for Mogabe’s people say that when Chipfuno arrived as a boy some

seventy years ago this portion of the hill was then in the same state

as is seen to-day. Judging by the weathered blocks piled and strewn

upon these areas, it is very possible that these rough clay floors and

hut foundations are at least seventy years old, if not considerably

older. Portions of iron assegais and Makalanga hoes found on these

floors are so eaten by rust that they have become thin, and are almost

as brittle as glass.

But the most interesting feature of these terraced areas lies in the

fact, obvious to anyone who inspects the areas cleared out in July

and August, 1902, that these areas were not originally terraces but

ordinary enclosures, with floors from 4 ft. to 10 ft. lower than the

present reduced summits of the outer walls. Some people of times

later than those of the original builders had deliberately taken the

blocks from the outer or down-side walls of the enclosures and thrown

them inside till the interiors were filled up level with the reduced

height of the walls, and over such filling-in had spread a clay floor,

and so made these enclosures into terraced platforms and dry vantage

ground on which to build their huts, lay their corn-drying, threshing,

and winnowing floors, and also their small _daka_ granaries, which,

occupying these well-drained and soilless positions, would be free from

the ravages of white ants.

By clearing the outer faces of these walls from block débris, which

has fallen or rolled down from higher positions on the hill—and these

falls have in some instances utterly ruined the walls beneath—and

following the curve of wall round to its opposite side on the face of

the hill, the rounded entrances into some of these enclosures have been

unburied, the floor of such entrances being on an average 5 ft. to 9

ft. below the débris. These entrances, so far as discoveries have been

made, are all at the rear of the enclosure and close to the face of the

hill. These entrances are narrow, 1 ft. 10 in. and 2 ft. 2 in. being a

fair average width, and once the line of floor which is level with the

floor of the entrances is cleared, it is seen that there are no steps

inside the enclosures, though outside the entrances there are in a

few instances steps leading up to the entrances only, but never steps

leading upwards from inside the entrances. The floor of the entrance,

in each case, is the level of the floor of the enclosure. Inside is

seen a mass of dry blocks without soil, and many of these blocks show a

face that was once exposed to the weather and become time-eaten if not

greatly decomposed, which shows that they once formed part of the face

of an ancient wall.

In removing this block débris from these enclosures no pick or spade

was necessary. The blocks were picked up and handed outside, and when

the enclosures had been emptied there was not 12 in. depth of soil, and

what was there was mainly fine granite chippings caused by the throwing

in of the blocks, and of decomposed _daka_, which had formed the floor,

and which, being of poor quality, constant rainfalls had practically

rotted into sand. It was on these cleared-out floors that portions

of large carved soapstone bowls were discovered in July and August,

1902. The “finds” on the bottom and original floors bore undoubted

evidences of antiquity, and were totally different in character from

the unmistakable Makalanga objects found on the _daka_ floor some feet

above.

As before stated, these terraces of enclosures are in some points

independent of each other—that is, they extend across the face of the

hill most irregularly. The second enclosure may be 20 ft. or 30 ft. in

front of the level of its neighbour on either hand, the third 20 ft.

or 30 ft. to the rear of the level of the first enclosure, and so on.

But the enclosures are built very nearly one behind the other up the

face of the hill, the front wall of one being the back wall of the next

below. Between these ascending lines of enclosures are narrow sunken

passages, the existence of which, until August, 1902, was altogether

unsuspected, as such passages showed no outcrop of their side walls.

Two of these passages are now known to be at least 350 ft. long, and

one of them has been cleared out for this length. They were exceedingly

narrow, so that at many points only one person could pass at a time.

The widths average 2 ft., and their floors are from 3 ft. to 12 ft.

below the present débris-strewn surface of the slope of the hill. Into

these passages the entrances to enclosures on either side open.

Evidently the same people who filled in the enclosures and converted

them into platforms likewise deliberately filled in the passages for

the foundations of old Makalanga huts, and granaries were laid across

the filled-in passages. The “finds” on the floors of these passages and

those found on their “filled-in” tops showed as great differences in

every respect as were presented by the objects found on the original

floors of the enclosures and those on the later clay floors above them.

SOUTH TERRACE

This is a natural ledge of ground artificially improved, running east

at the foot of the south precipice for 200 yards from the foot of the

_Rock Passage_, and extending beyond the point where the most easterly

ruins of the Acropolis are built along the summit cliff. This terrace

is supported on its south side by several retaining walls.

Almost all the enclosure walls along this terrace have been demolished

by the falls of great masses of walls from the ruins on the summit of

the cliff. Barely the foundations of such enclosure walls now remain,

the only exception being the enclosure adjoining the bottom end of the

_Rock Passage_.

THE “OUTSPAN RUINS”

These ruins, which lie 75 yds. to the north of Havilah Camp, are on the

outspan in the valley which runs along the south side of Zimbabwe Hill,

and also on the path leading from the camp to the South-East Ancient

Ascent. This block of ruins was entirely cleared out of wall débris and

silted soil in September, 1902, and now visitors may walk upon what was

practically the ancient floor. The cement which once formed the floor

has become decomposed to granite sand, and owing to the enclosures of

the ruin having been buried some 3 ft. to 5 ft. under the veld, the

enclosures held all the water which in rainy seasons would pour down

the side of the hill immediately behind.

These ruins form part of the line of Hill Inner Defence Wall, which

encloses the whole of Zimbabwe Hill on its west, south, and east sides

and runs along the foot of the lower slopes of the hill. The most

complete view of this continuous line of wall is obtained from the

summit of the hill. This line of defence wall is again enclosed on the

west side by the Outer Defence Wall, which runs from the north side of

the hill almost as far as the Elliptical Temple, and between these two

walls are the three large dongas on the west side of the hill.

The “Outspan Ruins” form the most perfect section of the Hill Inner

Defence Wall, not excepting the fine entrances to the North-West

Ancient Ascent with its herring-bone pattern, which is also another

section of the same line of inner defence wall, only on the north-west

side of the hill. They also must have served as an important entrance

through the south-west portion of the Hill Inner Defence Wall. The

entrance is complicated and rendered very difficult of attack by a

number of rounded buttresses, in addition to which there are small

enclosures most substantially built, which, most probably, were

guard-rooms.

[Illustration: Sketch Plan OUTSPAN RUINS Zimbabwe]

There is nothing angular in the plan and construction of these ruins.

They very patently resemble other outlying buildings which obviously

formed part of the original plan of the main Hill Ruins. The courses

in the wall are not very regular, and stones of all shapes and sizes

have been introduced. There is no decorative pattern in this section

of the Hill Inner Defence Wall, but there is one peculiarity in its

architecture, and in that of a conical tower which is described later.

These ruins occupy an area of 113 ft. from south-east to north-west,

and 70 ft. from north-east to south-west.

The main wall faces south. The 113 ft. length only includes the line of

main wall which still stands some 5 ft. to 11 ft. in height, the wall

at either end of this length can be traced extending for 500 yds. to

the east and 350 yds. to the west and north.

The entrance which has rounded walls on either side is 4 ft. wide, and

passes diagonally south-west through the main wall, thus giving it a

length of 8 ft. On its eastern side the wall is 7 ft. high, and 5 ft.

on the western side.

The ruins on the north side of main wall form a central enclosure to

the north of the entrance with an enclosure on either side of it, also

a passage on the south and west sides of the central enclosure.

The central enclosure is formed by a wall 22 ft. long, 4 ft. high, and

5 ft. to 7 ft. wide on the present reduced summit, which runs north at

right angles from the inside of the main wall at 4 ft. east from the

east side of the entrance. The wall, which at its northern extremity

is rounded, forms the divisional wall between the central and eastern

enclosures. The west side of the central enclosure is formed by a wall,

rounded at each end, which starts at 4 ft. from opposite the inside of

the entrance, and goes west for 13 ft. and north-east for 19 ft. This

wall averages 3 ft. to 8 ft. in height, and is from 4 ft. to 5 ft. 6

in. wide at base, and 3 ft. 6 in. on the highest summit. Where the east

wall of this enclosure comes opposite the end of the north-east wall is

an entrance 3 ft. 6 in. wide. The area of this enclosure is 14 ft. from

west to east and 19 ft. from north to south. It is possible that in the

centre of this enclosure once stood a round buttress or tower, and the

position of a few blocks in the floor makes this something more than a

mere conjecture.