APPENDIX
NOTE A
GREAT ZIMBABWE
NOTICE TO VISITORS
1. The only outspan is between Havilah Camp and the south side of the Acropolis Hill.
2. No trees or bush on the Zimbabwe reserve to be cut by visitors or their native servants. Cut firewood is provided on the outspan.
3. No visitor shall take into any ruin any spades or other tools for the purpose of prospecting for relics or gold, or use the same within the reserve. No excavated soil shall be panned, nor any stones removed from the ruins. Surveys can only be made on the written authority of the chief secretary.
4. Visitors are requested not to touch or damage old cement work, or shake any ancient monoliths, or climb on walls or places marked “Dangerous,” and are asked to assist the Government in the preservation of the ruins by giving immediate notice to the magistrate at Victoria, or to any official in charge of the ruins, of any of the above offences being committed.
5. The provisions of the “Ancient Monuments Protection Ordinance, 1902,” with regard to the illegal possession of relics, prospecting for same, or damage to ruins, and the consequent penalties of fines and imprisonment for such offences will be strictly enforced.
6. The attention of visitors is also directed to the subjoined rules framed under the said ordinance.
By order,
H. H. CASTENS, Chief Secretary.
Chief Secretary’s Office, Salisbury.
1st May, 1904.
GOVERNMENT NOTICE No. 103 OF 1904
Chief Secretary’s Office, Salisbury.
28th April, 1904.
It is hereby notified for public information that His Honour the Administrator has been pleased to approve of the subjoined rules, framed under the provisions of Section 7 of the “Ancient Monuments Protection Ordinance, 1902,” for visiting and inspecting the ruins of Zimbabwe.
By command of His Honour the Administrator.
H. H. CASTENS, Chief Secretary.
1. The public will ordinarily be permitted to visit and inspect the ancient ruins at Zimbabwe between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., subject to the conditions prescribed by these rules.
2. Any person producing a written permit granted to him by the Administrator, or by a magistrate, or a printed ticket in the prescribed form for the admission of visitors to the ruins, will be allowed access to them. All such permits and tickets shall, before admission, be delivered to the caretaker or person in attendance at the time.
3. No person shall:—
- Dig or search within or about the walls of the ruins for minerals, precious stones, or curiosities; or
- Carry into any part of the ruins any spades or other tools; or
- Pan or sift any excavated soil in or about the ruins; or
- Remove any stone, wood, brick, or material from the ruins; or
- Remove trees, shrubs, or plants growing within or about the ruins, under a penalty, upon conviction, of a sum not exceeding £5.
NOTE B
ROBERT M. W. SWAN
We regret to record the death, which took place on March 26th last, of Mr. R. M. W. Swan, well known for his share in the earlier investigations of the ruins of Mashonaland. Mr. Swan was born in 1858, and after receiving a technical training in Glasgow University and in the laboratory of Mr. R. Tattock, went out to Spain in 1878 in the capacity of a mining expert. In 1879 he went to Greece, and the next seven years were spent in mining work, principally in Antiparos and neighbouring islands. In addition to his professional employment, he devoted much attention to archæology, publishing several papers on his researches, and sending many specimens to the British Museum. It was during this period that he first made the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Bent, whom he accompanied during their visits to several of the islands, afterwards taking part in the expedition to Mashonaland, carried out by them in 1891, for the examination of the Zimbabwe and other ruins. During this expedition he undertook the cartographic portion of the work, executing for the first time a careful plan of the ruins, besides mapping the country along the routes followed, and fixing the positions of a number of points astronomically. When, after his return to this country, Mr. Bent described the results of his journey before the Society, Mr. Swan added some notes on the geography and meteorology of Mashonaland, and subsequently contributed to the Proceedings (May, 1892), a short paper on the orientation of the ruins, showing in a striking way the close connection which existed between the arrangement of the structures and the astronomical phenomena to which, as sun-worshippers, their builders had paid so much attention. The subject was more fully discussed in the section which he contributed to Mr. Bent’s Ruined Cities of Mashonaland. The theory which he developed was subjected to some criticism; but on returning to South Africa to continue his investigations, he collected data, which, as he claimed, fully bore out his ideas. During this journey, carried out in 1893, he examined various ruins, till then undescribed, besides doing something to improve the mapping of the country along his route, which led inland by way of the Limpopo.
This visit to South Africa lasted about two years, spent in part in geological and mining work. In 1896 he examined the mining districts of Western Australia and Tasmania, and in 1898 went to Siam with a similar object, leaving again, after a short visit to this country, for the Malay Peninsula, where he was engaged in mining work until his death, which took place at Kuala Lumpur after an operation for abscess of the liver. Here, as in South Africa, he did much careful cartographical and geological work.
Mr. Swan was an expert linguist, and from his residence in Greece had acquired a great love for the classics. He possessed a large store of knowledge on varied subjects, which he was always anxious to share with others. He was a Fellow of the Geological and Chemical Societies, as well as of our own, which he joined in 1893, having received the Murchison Grant in 1892. (Royal Geographical Society’s Journal, May, 1904.)
NOTE C
NOTE ON OLD POTTERY FOUND AT DEPTH AT RENDERS RUINS, GREAT ZIMBABWE, JULY, 1903
This “find” consists of pottery of a very good quality about a quarter of an inch thick, but covered with a most excellent glaze of blue, white, and gold enamel, the white forming the background.
There are at least four bands of pattern which encircled a large open bowl. No. 8 is a part of the rim, which was straight. No. 1 appears by its form to have been portion of the upper band; Nos. 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 the second band; No. 9 the third band; and a decoration of palm fronds, in brown paint and in outline only, its lowest band.
The clay is a light brown and of fine quality.
The lettering or pattern is outlined with faint gold, with yellow paint scroll-work filling the spaces between, and so minute are these decorations that very few would notice them. They resemble, only on a very minute scale, No. 3.
I cannot piece the fragments together, but Nos. 4 and 7 seem to fit.
The glaze is very thickly laid on, and both inside and outside are covered, and it is of such splendid make, colour, and appearance that many who have seen it say it is of the highest quality.
The inside is white, and has lines of faint blue artistically drawn without being of any set pattern.
No portion of the base found would enable one to judge whether the bowl had been made on a potter’s wheel or not.
All the fragments were found together on a deeply buried floor, and at the same spot a quantity of large pieces of beaten gold and some gold beads were discovered.
Some very thin light-brown pottery covered with white enamel, extending some inches down from the rim inside and with thick bars of dull blue enamel running from rim to centre, were also found at the same spot.
NOTE D
ZIMBABWE RUINS
[Extracted, by permission, from the Reports (1900–1902) of the British South Africa Company.]
I arrived at Victoria on the 23rd May, and left for Zimbabwe the following morning.
On inspecting the ruins I found the interior of the Elliptical Temple one impenetrable jungle of trees, bushes, creepers, tall grass (6 to 10 ft.), and decayed tree stumps and branches, so that it was impossible to see beyond a few feet, while the surface of the ground was most irregular and thickly covered with wall débris. The air inside was fetid and heavy-smelling from the rank vegetation. There being no opening on the eastern side, the interior is protected from the prevailing winds, and the sun shining on the damp, dense, and almost tropical foliage and plant growth made the air oppressive and unhealthy, so that one could not remain long at a time in the building.
Our first work was to clear away the undergrowth, but it was so dense and matted with creepers that, with fifteen men working for a whole day with hatchets, sickles, and spades, we were only able to advance a few feet into the interior from the west entrance. It required nine days for fifteen men to clear the interior of undergrowth alone. A further three days were given to pulling up grass and shrub roots. The atmosphere of the interior is completely changed, as the sun has dried the surface of the ground. It is now possible to stand in the centre of the building and obtain an uninterrupted view of the walls all round, and at the same time to see at a glance the whole of the divisional walls and enclosures.
The north side of the summit of the Conical Tower has in very recent years been denuded of several courses of blocks owing to the boughs of large trees swinging upon it in the high winds. The tower is more reduced than is shown in photographs taken six years ago. The dentelle ornamentation on the summit has practically disappeared within the last ten years. Some ancient blocks in the top courses are likely to fall. These blocks could be pushed back flush with the face of the tower, and some of the blocks which have very recently fallen might be restored to their original position. The summit when cleared of vegetation should be cemented over. It is a feature in Zimbabwe construction everywhere in Rhodesia, for a block, when it falls, to carry with it the stones of the course beneath it.
Visitors point out that the tower has lately shown a tendency to tilt somewhat towards the north-east. This is mainly due to the dense tree growth enveloping the tower, which keeps it constantly dripping with moisture, especially on the north side, where the main wall further screens it from the morning sun. The only remedy appears to be to so thin out the trees that the tower and its foundations may become perfectly dry. The wet state of the tower has caused it to become overgrown with lichen, which, decaying, produces vegetable matter which lodges in the crevices of the courses, and out of which grow small plants and shrubs, many of which we have removed. A large bush was growing out from the side in mould so formed, and the remains of a large bush on the summit are still to be seen. Should the tilting not be prevented by such means as the thinning out of adjacent trees, the value of the tower to scientists as a means of calculating the orientation of the temple, and therefore its age, would become lost. Three or four trees from close to the north-east, north, and north-west sides of the tower have been cleared away, and the vicinity has already a much drier appearance.
The dank air and soil round the tower have caused the extensive growth of large parent monkey-rope trees, which with their ropes spread in great lengths in all directions, thickly interlacing the tops of the trees, while their roots have in very many places pierced into both main and divisional walls and torn out lengths of stonework. Monkey ropes appear to be the most active source of the dilapidations of the walls near the tower, but wild vines also have done considerable harm. Several hundred yards of monkey rope have been cut down and taken outside the temple, also very long stretches of monkey rope roots have been pulled up. All lower branches are being removed, so as to give a clear view all round the temple. Some of the upper branches are being thinned out.
The surface of the ground within the temple is covered with rich leaf mould soil to a depth of at least one foot, and sometimes under trees to a depth of one foot and a half. It is in this mould that the thickets of large shrubs, creepers, especially monkey-ropes and wild vines, seem to have thriven, as also in the débris heaps left by Mr. Bent (1891) and Sir John Willoughby (1892), where the turning over of the old time-hardened soil has ventilated it and caused most sturdy growth of plants and trees. This leaf mould has been removed from the floors of the inner parallel passage and in the passage on the north-east, east, and south-east sides of No. 1 Enclosure, and has been passed through sieves, and the soil neatly piled for future examination. Thus has been removed in these places the unhealthy smell formerly noticed. This work ought to be done in all internal enclosures of the building.
All wall débris is being neatly stacked and piled near where it obviously came from. All scattered stones on the floors are being collected and placed in piles. This work has made the enclosures to appear neat and tidy. Messrs. Bent and Willoughby’s débris is also being stacked in much smaller compass. All débris heaps are being marked “débris” on painted boards. A large quantity of such débris might after examination be removed outside the building and stacked.
The summits of the main walls have been damaged at several points by past and present boughs overspreading the walls and beating them till several courses, the whole width of the walls, have disappeared, thus causing depressions in the top line of walls at several points. All branches, whether from trees within or without the temple, which overhang the walls, are being carefully removed with the aid of guide-ropes. Leaf mould has collected on the summits of the main walls to such an extent that large shrubs and small trees are thriving on the summits; these will be removed.
Seven monoliths have been found under the leaf mould and grass and shrub roots both inside and outside the foot of the main walls. Their former positions on the walls are being ascertained, and where obvious they will be re-erected.
The chevron pattern on the outside of the walls of the temple has been damaged, and in three places partially destroyed by large swinging boughs. It is also destroyed in two places by heavy festoons of creepers which had their roots in the open work of the pattern, the roots pushing out some of the blocks of which the pattern is composed. Some of these fallen blocks have been found, and there is a probability that a portion of the pattern, where damaged, may be restored. It is proposed to hand-pick all vegetable soil from the open spaces of the pattern to prevent future growths of creepers.
A clearing 8 yds. wide has been made round the outside of the whole of temple, and an inspection of the walls by visitors is now possible.
All the tops of divisional and broken portions and ends of walls, and all interstices on both faces, are having the leaf mould carefully hand-picked from them. This is a slow process, but will check their dilapidation by vegetable growth for a very long time.
The trenches made by Mr. Bent and Sir John Willoughby are being cleared of grass and silted soil, and their spade and pick marks on the bottoms can be seen. No ancient floor or soil has been disturbed, the ancient floors being some 3 ft. to 5 ft. below the present surface.
Roots of monkey-ropes and trees are binding the inside of main walls below the present surface, as does a large plant in a small pot, and are in most places, and below the surface, penetrating into the dry masonry with damaging effect. I would suggest that a trench 2 ft. wide by 3 ft. deep be made on the inside of all walls, and all such roots removed. A yearly inspection of such trenches could be made, and any new roots and runners lopped off as they appeared. Run-offs could be made to prevent any accumulation of water in the trenches.
Architectural features.—(a) Four ancient drains, in addition to those mentioned by Bent and Willoughby, have been discovered.
(b) A rounded entrance with double curves; the only instance so far known.
(c) Three sets of stone steps and several square yards of ancient cement flooring (not of the original builders) have been carefully uncovered.
(d) A second-period architecture building with terraces superimposed on the walls of a first-period ruin.
(e) An enlarged plan of the temple, based on Mr. Bent’s and Sir John Willoughby’s measurements, is being prepared, and a quantity of altogether fresh architectural detail included.
Though the present is not a treasure-seeking expedition, yet there is strong probability that some “finds” of historic value may be made.
I have visited the Hill Fortress several times. Both the Western and Eastern Temples on this hill are so full of undergrowth that it is quite impossible to make any examination until it is cleared away. Within a week I hope to put on men to make a good path up to the fortress.
The following new features in ancient architecture have been discovered:—
1. A dentelle pattern till recently covered with wall débris. A portion destroyed by roots (Acropolis Ascent).
2. A small enclosure with cemented lining on face of walls (Acropolis).
3. Three wedge-shaped buttresses, first set discovered in Rhodesia (Acropolis).
4. Two drains, one showing signs of having been cemented (Acropolis).
5. A northern ancient ascent between parallel walls from large rounded entrance near donga in the valley.
6. Passage 7 ft. deep and about 20 ft. long, completely buried in fallen wall débris, over which the visitors’ path had crossed (South Enclosure, Acropolis).
7. Passage 8 ft. deep and 30 ft. long, completely covered by wall débris, over which the old visitors’ ascent path had crossed (Platform Enclosure).
8. The round towers on the large west wall of Acropolis can now be shown, by the radii of stones of the top courses recently discovered, to have originally been conical.
9. Two large ancient entrances, hitherto unknown, deliberately filled in by Makalangas for graves, the remains removed and reburied with Mogabe’s consent (Cleft Rock Enclosure).
10. The covered passage at foot of platform which had been blocked up by Makalangas for graves (fifteen years old) cleared, the remains removed and reburied with Mogabe’s consent. Visitors can now traverse this passage.