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

INNER PARALLEL PASSAGE

This passage lies between the main Parallel Passage and No. 15 Enclosure. It runs north-west to south-east from the South Passage near the North Entrance to the temple into No. 15 Enclosure, and is parallel with Parallel Passage. The three parallel walls forming the two passages are generally known as the Triple Walls. Whereas the Parallel Passage led from the North Entrance to the Sacred Enclosure only, this leads from near the North Entrance right into the interior of the temple.

Its length is 71 ft., and at its eastern end it is 7 ft. wide for a short distance, but rapidly closes in to a width of 3 ft. 6 in., which is maintained throughout the greatest part of its remaining length.

The north-eastern wall is the south-western wall of the Parallel Passage, and from the eastern end for 29 ft. this wall averages in height 12 ft. to 14 ft. above the present floor of the passage, and from the 29-ft. point to 67 ft. the face of the wall is damaged by roots, and the height here is only 7 ft.

The south-western side is formed by the wall dividing this passage from No. 15 Enclosure. It averages 10 ft. in height, and is well and very substantially built. On this side, at 32 ft. from the eastern end, is a drain leading from No. 15 Enclosure.

The western entrance to this passage has on the north-eastern side a rounded buttress 5 ft. high, 6 ft. long, and protruding 1 ft. 10 in. from the face of the wall. This buttress has a portcullis groove, but this has recently been built up in order to strengthen the buttress. On the opposite side there are traces only of a corresponding buttress in the shape of some foundation stones, and there are also signs that there were once steps extending from buttress to buttress.

It is probable that the ancient floor was only a few inches below the present cleared-out floor, as what appear to be paving stones, together with small sections of granite floor, can be seen outcropping at several points along the passage, but vine and tree roots have lifted the rest of the stones out of place.

At the eastern end is a large, substantial, and well-constructed rounded buttress protruding 9 ft. towards south-west from the north-eastern side of the passage, where it here opens on to No. 14 Enclosure. This buttress gives the passage-way a turn south at almost right angles. This buttress is from 4 ft. to 10 ft. in height on its front face, but 21 ft. at its rear, and this buttress forms part of the boundary of No. 14 Enclosure.

EAST WALL, No. 11 ENCLOSURE, WITH PATTERN, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE

INNER PARALLEL PASSAGE, LOOKING EAST, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE

It is possible that this buttress which is hollow, and to which there are traces of an entrance from the passage, once enclosed steps leading on to the summit of the wall between the Parallel Passage and the Inner Parallel Passage.[56] Certainly the way the stone débris inside the buttress has fallen tends to support this conjecture.