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

MAUND RUINS

These ruins, though not extensive, appear to have been of some importance. They are situated at a distance of 60 yds. from the east-north-east side of Philips Ruins, and lie almost half-way between those ruins and the East Ruins.

Their construction is excellent, and the walls are massive, while all the entrances are rounded, most having possessed a pair of granite lintel beams. Although built upon by far the lowest level of any ruin at Zimbabwe, it is the least filled-in, either naturally or artificially, by any native occupiers. There are very few traces of Makalanga occupation. The granite cement floors are at a depth of 1 ft. to 2 ft. below the surface soil within the interior. No ancient relics, save fragments of soapstone bowls carved with chevron pattern, have been found here.

The most interesting points as to these ruins are:—

(1) Two very fine rounded ends of walls, both being excellent pieces of masonry.

(2) Two structures facing east and west respectively, the summits being approached by large steps, and each associated with one of the rounded walls.

(3) Sections of red clay walls in the gaps of the stone walls.

The area of these ruins is 143 ft. from east to west, and 138 ft. from north to south. There is some evidence that these ruins once occupied a larger area.

Sketch Plan
MAUND RUINS
“Valley of Ruins”
(Lower Section)

There is only one entrance, so far discovered, through the main wall, and this faces north. It is massive and well built, and opens into a vestibule enclosure 15 ft. long, 9 ft. wide, and 5 ft. and 7 ft. in height. The side walls of the entrance are 5 ft. high, the width of the main wall is 6 ft. 6 in., the width of the passage 3 ft., but narrowed on the inside to less than 2 ft. by two rounded buttresses with portcullis grooves, the south one of which has almost disappeared.

The east end of the south wall of the vestibule enclosure is one of two beautifully rounded ends of walls before referred to. The symmetry of the batter-back is perfect. This wall is 7 ft. high, 5 ft. wide at base, and 3 ft. 10 in. at summit. The vestibule has a granite cement floor. At the east end of the vestibule is one large rounded buttress with portcullis grooves. The corresponding buttress on the south-west side is much ruined.

ROUNDED END OF WALL OF WEST SIDE OF MAUND RUINS, SHEWING STEPS TO PLATFORM, VALLEY OF RUINS

NORTH-EAST WALL, MAUND RUINS, VALLEY OF RUINS

On the west side of the ruins, and immediately west of the west wall of the vestibule wall, and built from wall to wall in the angle of the main and vestibule wall, is a raised platform 6 ft. high approached by four rows of stone steps once covered with granite cement. This structure is apparently different in purpose and construction from the “blind steps” found in some of the ruins at Great Zimbabwe, for in this instance the platform must have afforded a good position for seeing over the outer wall, and also for watching the entrance which it overlooks.

A similar structure is to be found on the east side of these ruins. This also is an excellent piece of workmanship. The steps in this instance lead from the west side of the base of the wall to its summit, and were once covered with granite cement, portions of which still remain. The wall is 8 ft. high, and its north end is beautifully rounded. It is 4 ft. 6 in. wide at its base, and 3 ft. wide on the summit. The north or rounded end of the wall, at 6 ft. above the ground, turns on each side towards the centre of the summit, forming a small round tower 2 ft. high. There are four steps, but it is possible that other steps were in between each of the steps now seen. The summit of the steps faces due east. This wall is not an outer wall.

There appear to have been at least ten enclosures. There are eleven divisional entrances, all rounded, of which eight have portcullis grooves and several have rounded buttresses on the inside. Two long granite beams and some sections of broken beams were found in most of the entrances, but not in those in which the portcullis grooves had been carefully built up.

In the northern enclosures and 2 ft. under the surface were found several large and massive cement steps laid on curved lines.

MIDDLE SECTION OF “THE VALLEY OF RUINS”