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

by R. N. Hall

EAST RUINS

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.

They occupy a rise overlooking the Valley of Ruins, and are built upon an open granite glacis which originally formed its floor. Their elevated and strategetic position at once claim the attention of visitors. These ruins have always been written and spoken of as being a fort for the defence of the east side of the Valley of Ruins, and, in fact, for all the ruins of the lower Zimbabwe group, including the Elliptical Temple, and especially for the eastern end of the South-East Ancient Ascent to the Acropolis. Judging from the contour of the country round about, the only possible line the ancient road from the east and the coast could have taken must have passed within a few yards of this ruin.

The view from East Ruins towards the east is most extensive and picturesque, for the land slopes on that side for over two miles towards the Beroma Range and the valley of the Motelekwe, while in the hollow are the Chipo-popo and Mapudzi rivers. Opposite are the peculiar and romantic columns of granite near Chenga’s kraal.

For the purposes of defence these ruins are ideally situated. On the south side they are protected by a steep declivity of some 40 ft. into the valley, and down this the original builders and later occupiers have shot their débris in great quantities. The space between the ruin and the declivity, some 25 yds. in width and 100 ft. in length, is covered with short lengths of walls and wall débris.

Sketch Plan
EAST RUINS
Motelekwe Road
Great Zimbabwe

The area covered by these ruins is 140 ft. from north to south, and 93 ft. from east to west. It is most probable that on the south and east sides there were other enclosures.

The walls on the north, west, and south are fairly well built and massive, and are still some 8 ft. to 10 ft. in height, and average 3 ft. 6 in. to 4 ft. width of summit at those heights. The walls on the south-east and east average a height of from 4 ft. to 7 ft., while the divisional walls which remain have a reduced height of 4 ft. and 5 ft., and these latter are also substantially constructed.

There are four well-defined enclosures, the two on the west side being the most perfect. The northern enclosure had once been subdivided into at least six separate compartments.

Both in plan and construction these ruins excel most of the minor ruins, including No. 1 Ruins, and many walls on the Acropolis. The curved lines of the walls on the northern and southern sides are bold and striking, and well and exactly carried out. Their solidity is very noticeable, especially on both outer and inner faces. Not only are the courses in these walls fairly even, but the blocks are well-sized and are of a good quality of granite. In some portions of the walls the workmanship is of an inferior character.

But, whatever the style of construction may be, the faces of the walls are beautifully even from base to summit and also lengthways, for placing one’s eye close up against the wall and glancing along an area of wall-face, there is hardly to be seen half an inch of front of block protruding in front of its neighbours. This, of course, does not apply to the batter-back, which is only that of an average wall at Zimbabwe. The impression gained on viewing these massive walls, which occupy such an excellently strategetic position, is that the original builders intended the building to be used for some important purpose.

The northern enclosure is 60 ft. from north to south, and 67 ft. from east to west. The south-west enclosure is 61 ft. from north to south, and 51 ft. from east to west. The eastern enclosure is 55 ft. from north to south, and 22 ft. from east to west. The south-eastern enclosure, which is rather rudely constructed, and the walls of which are very considerably dilapidated, is 20 ft. from north to south, and 80 ft. from east to west.

There are three entrances through the outer walls, and these are on the west, south, and east, and all are rounded; two have buttresses, one has portcullis grooves, and the foundation forms the passage floor in each case. Two divisional entrances now only remain, and these are also rounded.

Immediately inside the west entrance and on the north side is what appears to have been a raised platform, facing west, about 4 ft. above the original floor. This may have an area of 15 ft. from north to south by 12 ft. from east to west, but the artificial filling-in of the ruin with soil has raised the interior surface to the level of this platform. Probably, as at other ruins at Zimbabwe with identical platforms in corresponding positions, this afforded a look-out overlooking the entrance. On the eastern side of these ruins there is a similar but smaller structure which may have answered the same purpose.

In the eastern enclosure and on the east face of the west wall is a recess starting upwards from the ground. This is 3 ft. high, 1 ft. 10 in. wide, and the blocks on each side respectively are flush-edged with each other. The recess goes back about the length of two blocks (see Architecture—Blind Recesses).

These ruins have been artificially filled in with soil to a depth of 3 ft. to 5 ft. by native occupiers of a comparatively late date, for the soil on the surface and downwards to the bottom of the filling-in is thick with old native pottery and the broken-up remains of Kafir huts.

Although almost every relic-hunter seems to have paid attention to these ruins, nothing of any antique value has been found here. Probably when the original occupiers left the granite floors were still exposed, and any objects found there may have been removed long before the filling-in took place. So far, there is no evidence that any industry—whether of ancient, mediæval, or modern occupiers—has ever been carried on in this building.