Читать книгу Great Zimbabwe, Mashonaland, Rhodesia. An account of two years' examination work in 1902-4 on behalf of the government of Rhodesia онлайн

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The clearing of the area also disclosed clay sides of huts with the remains of short walls of stone radiating from the sides of the huts. The wall which Mr. Bent considered might have been the “altar” was found to be the radiating wall of a similar hut built upon a higher level. These small radiating walls are a general feature of exceedingly old native huts found at several places at Zimbabwe.

A large circular platform of granite cement was also disclosed. This spot yielded beaten gold of native make.

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The writer believes that between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, or slightly earlier, a great influx of people took place at Zimbabwe, and that the majority of the minor ruins in the Valley of Ruins were built about this period. This is shown by the number of walls built across exceedingly old débris heaps of native origin, by the “finds” of Arabian articles on their lowest floors, and by the fact that no relic of greater age than that period has been found. Two or three of the better-built minor ruins have the appearance of greater age, and some of the relics found in this class of ruins are of the oldest type. No one who had not spent considerable time at Zimbabwe could have any possible conception of the immense population present here at a period of but a few centuries ago. The remains of their stone walls are scattered thickly over the valleys and hillsides of Zimbabwe. The Makalanga state these are all Makalanga of generations long passed away. Some are constructions by indigenous peoples, and certainly they are not ancient, though largely built of stones quarried from the ancient ruins, and the “finds” are those of old native type, including Arab articles.