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

These ruins lie 20 yds. to the south of the Motelekwe Road at 550 yds. east of Havilah Camp, and face the east end of the Acropolis Hill at a distance of 300 yds. south.

“The Valley of Ruins” is on the north-east and east sides of the Elliptical Temple, and almost half-way between it and the south side of the east end of the Acropolis Hill. This...

Sir John Lubbock once observed that one antiquarian relic found by itself was no testimony as to any particular ancient occupation of the spot at which it was discovered, but th...

Since 1892, when the late Theodore Bent published his work on _The Ruined Cities of Mashonaland_, and 1893, when Sir John Willoughby issued his monograph on _Further Exploration...

In preparing this detailed description of the ruins of Great Zimbabwe—the first given to the world in modern times—the author has aimed at permitting the actual ruins themselves...

These are about two miles and a half north-east of Zimbabwe, on the Motelekwe Road. The Chipo-popo, which is a perennial stream with its source on the south side of the Beroma R...

This is a raised platform standing immediately in front of the _Conical Tower_ at a distance of 4 ft. from north to north-west. The proximity of this structure to the _Conical T...

Drains—Battering of Walls—Monoliths—Soapstone Monoliths and Beams—Granite and Slate Beams—Cement dadoes—Built-up Crevices—Holes in Walls other than Drains—Blind Steps and Platfo...

_Plan of main wall._—Though popularly spoken of as the “Circular Temple,”[46] the building is of elliptical plan, “a form of temple,” says Bent, “found at Marib, the ancient cap...

It may easily be imagined that researches as to the origin of the ruins cannot be furthered by inquiries instituted among the present native peoples as to any history or traditi...

On Zimbabwe Hill, at a height of some 230 ft. to 250 ft. above the valley which runs along its west and south sides, stands the Acropolis or Hill Fortress. Its prominent and str...

These ruins, which are of an important character, lie on the north side of the Elliptical Temple at a distance of 63 yds. from the north-west entrance to that building, with whi...

Early to bed, our Makalanga labourers are proportionately early to rise, and as soon as there is sufficient light to enable them to see they are up, stretching their limbs, waki...

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 we...

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 pre...

Wandering about the Elliptical Temple at Zimbabwe on a Sunday morning one is faced at every turn with texts for innumerable “sermons in stones.” The hoary age of these massive w...

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...

This enclosure, which contains the _Conical Tower_ and the now ruined “_Little Cone_,” lies on the south-east of the temple area, the main east wall from south-east to east-nort...

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—So...

This enclosure is on the north side of the temple, the outer face of its north-eastern wall being 18 ft. south-west of the _North Entrance_. This is the most perfect of all the...

On the 21st May, 1902, I arrived at Victoria in Mashonaland, _en route_ to the ruins of the Great Zimbabwe, which lie about seventeen miles south-east of the township. In 1891,...

This entrance is on the north-west side of the temple at (606 ft. 6 in.) to (611 ft. 6 in.) inside, and [656 ft.] to [660 ft.] outside. As in the case of _North and West Entranc...

On the exterior, and on either side of the entrance, stood, till 1903, very large débris heaps, each of which was at least 8 ft. high and many yards in circumference. These on b...

Notes on Ancient Architecture at Zimbabwe (_continued_)—Drains—Battering of Walls—Soapstone Monoliths and Beams—Granite and Slate Beams—Cement—Dadoes—Built-up crevices—Holes in...

Acropolis Ruins (_continued_)—Platform Enclosure—Cleft Rock Enclosure—The Platform—Balcony Wall—Little Enclosure—Winding Stairs—Upper Passage—East Passage—Buttress Passage—South...