![]() Later European visitors came to the conclusion that the ruins’ imposing stone structures were the work of Egyptians, Phoenicians, or even Prester John, the legendary Christian king popular in European chronicles and culture from the 12th through the 17th century. He stated, “I do not think that I am far wrong if I suppose that the ruin on the hill is a copy of Solomon’s Temple on Mount Moriah and the building in the plain a copy of the palace where the queen of Sheba lived during her visit to Solomon.” Mauch further speculated that “a civilized nation must have once lived there.” Perplexed Mauch thought he had stumbled on the legendary capital of the biblical Queen of Sheba in Jerusalem when he encountered Great Zimbabwe. The story of his blatant denial is uncannily similar to that of fellow German archaeologist Leo Frobenius, who speculated that the Kingdom of Ife in Nigeria was the lost kingdom of Atlantis. Great Zimbabwe was first introduced to the wider world in 1871 by Karl Mauch, a German explorer and geologist who refused to believe that indigenous African people were capable of creating such a civilization. ![]() However, the ruins’ origin remained a contentious issue for a long time, with a slew of theories formed as to who built this breath-taking monument. Great Zimbabwe was built by the ancestors of the Shona, who make up the majority of Zimbabwe’s population. The Valley Enclosure is where the citizens alongside the rest of the king’s wives resided. ![]() A series of clay-hut living quarters and community are also found in the Great Enclosure. While the purpose of the Conical Tower is unknown, it’s believed it represented a grain bin, symbolising good harvests and prosperity. A 55-metre long passage leads to a stone feature called the Conical Tower, with a height of 10 metres and a 5-metre diameter. It’s estimated that nearly a million granite blocks were used to construct it. Its outer wall is 250 metres in circumference, with a height of 11 metres. This formidable edifice is where the king’s first wife lived. South of the Hill Complex lies the aptly named and impressive Great Enclosure, the largest single ancient structure in sub-Saharan Africa. The section is made of rocky outcrops and large granite boulders that form walls of up to 11 metres high and six metres thick. It’s the oldest part of the site, with the first stones having been laid there more than 900 years ago. The complex sits on a steep-sided hill that rises 80 metres above the ground. It’s also believed it served as the spiritual and religious centre of the city. The Hill Complex is where the king of the Shona lived. The site is divided into three main architectural areas: the Hill Complex, the Great Enclosure, and the Valley Enclosure.
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