MEASUREMENTS OF MAIN WALL

The circumference of the outer face of the main wall taken at the level of the threshold of the entrances measures about 831 ft. As the foundations throughout the circumference are, as is shown later, some 3 ft. to 5 ft. below this level, and as the usual Zimbabwe batter-back prevails, the circumference of the foundations of this building may safely be estimated at a further 40 ft., which would make a total circumference of the base of the temple some 873 ft.

The circumference of the inside face of the entire main wall measured at a corresponding level is about 776 ft. 6 in., the foundations, as shown later, being from 3 ft. to 5 ft. below the level at which this measurement was taken.

Granite slabs with painted figures now mark the distances both outside and inside round the main wall, commencing in either case at the south side of the West Entrance and going south. The distances on the outside are marked at every 50 ft., and those on the inside at every 20 ft. A small black spot is painted on the wall just above each slab to denote the exact spot in each length measured.

In this description of the Elliptical Temple all measurements in angular brackets are exterior measurements of the main wall only, and those in rounded brackets are those of interior measurements of the main wall, all commencing at the south side of the West Entrance and going south. For instance, “The North-West Entrance is situated between the following points in the main wall—[656 ft.] and [660 ft.] and (606 ft. 6 in.) and (611 ft.),” or “A large granite beam lies at the base of the main wall at (338 ft.).”

MEASUREMENTS OF EXTERIOR OF MAIN WALL COMMENCING AT SOUTH SIDE OF THE WEST ENTRANCE AND GOING SOUTH

Position of wall.Point of compass faced.Height above cleared surface.Height above bottom of foundation.Width of present summit.Batter-back of face of wall.

[0 ft.]

W. 7 ft. 6 in.11 ft. 6 ft. 6 in. 8 in.
Between [0 ft.] and [10 ft.] summit of wall rises from 7 ft. to 22 ft.

[10 ft.]

—22 ft.23 ft. 10 in. 4 ft. 2 in.2 ft.

[25 ft.]

—21 ft. 6 in.23 ft. 6 in. 5 ft. 6 in.2 ft.

[50 ft.]

—22 ft.24 ft. 6 ft. 6 in.2 ft. 6 in.
Between [98 ft.] and [104 ft.] are traces of a wall of this width running towards S.W.

[100 ft.]

S.W.22 ft.24 ft. 6 ft. 6 in.2 ft. 6 in.

[150 ft.]

S.S.W.22 ft. 6 in.24 ft. 6 in. 6 ft. 6 in.2 ft. 6 in.
Between [161 ft.] and [166 ft. 6 in.] are traces only of wall of this width protruding from main wall towards S.W.
Chevron Pattern commences at [189 ft.] and extends to [455 ft. 6 in.].

[200 ft.]

S.22 ft. 8 in.25 ft. 2 in.10 ft. 2 in.1 ft. 10 in.

[250 ft.]

S.E.25 ft.26 ft. 6 in. 8 ft. 2 in.2 ft. 6 in.

[300 ft.]

S.E.29 ft.30 ft. 6 in. 8 ft. 6 in.1 ft. 8 in.

[350 ft.]

E.29 ft.31 ft. 6 in. 9 ft. 6 in.1 ft. 4 in.
At [380 ft.] outer end of drain-hole through main wall.

[400 ft.]

E.30 ft.31 ft. 9 in. 7 ft. 4 in.2 ft. 6 in.
At [425 ft. 9 in.] outer end of drain-hole through main wall.

[450 ft.]

E.N.E.32 ft.34 ft. 9 ft. 6 in.3 ft.
From [450 ft.] to [565 ft.] is Outer Parallel Passage.
Chevron Pattern ends at [455 ft. 6 in.].
At [482 ft.] outer end of drain-hole through main wall.

[500 ft.]

N.E.33 ft.35 ft. 6 in.12 ft. 2 in.3 ft. 6 in.
At [510 ft. 6 in.] outer end of drain-hole through main wall.
At [530 ft.] line of summit falls to 28 ft.

[550 ft.]

N.E.19 ft.21 ft.13 ft. 4 in.1 ft. 4 in.
Summit of wall very considerably dilapidated.
Summit of wall very considerably dilapidated.
At [571 ft. 6 in.] to [576 ft. 6 in.] steps of North Entrance.

[575 ft.]

N.E.11 ft.(not examined)14 ft.2 ft. 6 in.
West side of North Entrance, 11 ft. high, rises to 17 ft. at [580 ft.].
Between [586 ft.] to [590 ft.] wall this width, forming north-west side of North-East Passage, protrudes from main wall towards N.E.
From [610 ft.] to [620 ft.] is gap in main wall and mis-joint of earlier and later walls.

[625 ft.]

N.16 ft. 6 in.19 ft. 5 ft.1 ft.
Original height of wall reduced to 16 ft. 6 in. on west side of gap.

[656 ft.]

N.N.W.17 ft.19 ft. 3 ft. 6 in.
(ruined)		1 ft. 10 in.
East side of North-West Entrance.

[660 ft.]

N.N.W.17 ft.19 ft. 5 ft. 6 in.1 ft. 10 in.
West side of North-West Entrance.

[675 ft.]

N.W.17 ft.18 ft. 6 in. 5 ft. 2 in.1 ft. 10 in.
Face of wall bulges outwards above foundations.

[700 ft.]

N.W.18 ft.19 ft. 10 in. 4 ft. 6 in.1 ft. 6 in.
For several feet on either side of [700 ft.] summit of wall is considerably depressed by tree boughs hitting it.
A wall connecting No. 1 Ruin with Elliptical Temple protrudes from main wall between [705 ft.] and [710 ft.].

[750 ft.]

W.N.W.21 ft.23 ft. 4 ft. 8 in.2 ft. 6 in.

[800 ft.]

W.N.W.20 ft. 6 in.22 ft. 4 in. 4 ft. 10 in.3 ft.
From [814 ft.] to [829 ft.] the line of summit breaks downwards abruptly from 20 ft. to 8 ft. in height.

[827 ft. 9 in.]

W. 8 ft.(not examined) 6 ft.10 in.
This is the north side of West Entrance.

[831 ft. 9 in.]

This is the south side of the West Entrance, where the first measurement started.

MEASUREMENTS OF INTERIOR FACE OF MAIN WALL COMMENCING AT SOUTH SIDE OF THE WEST ENTRANCE AND GOING SOUTH

Position of wall.Side of temple.Height above cleared surface.Batter-back of face of wall.Point in interior of temple.

(0 ft.)

W.N.W. 7 ft. 6 in. 8 in.No. 5 Enclosure
Between (0 ft.) and (10 ft.) is a large rounded buttress projecting into the temple. (See description of West Entrance.)
Between (0 ft.) and (10 ft.) summit rises sharply from 7 ft. 6 in. to 18 ft. 6 in., measurement from present surface of interior soil.

(10 ft.)

W.N.W.18 ft. 6 in.2 ft.No. 5 Enclosure

(20 ft.)

W.N.W.21 ft.1 ft. 10 in.〃
Measured from bottom of trench showing an old cement floor now decomposed.

(40 ft.)

W.N.W.21 ft.1 ft. 8 in.No. 5 Enclosure
Measured from bottom of trench showing an old cement floor
now decomposed.

(60 ft.)

W.21 ft. 4 in.1 ft. 6 in.No. 5 Enclosure
Measured from bottom of trench showing an old cement floor
now decomposed.

(80 ft.)

W.21 ft. 6 in.1 ft. 2 in.No. 5 Enclosure
Measured from bottom of trench showing an old cement floor
now decomposed.

(100 ft.)

W.18 ft. 6 in.1 ft. 9 in.No. 6 Enclosure
Measured from top of débris on summit of low divisional wall.

(120 ft.)

S.W.20 ft. 10 in.2 ft. 1 in.No. 6 Enclosure
Measured from red clay floor, believed to be of Makalanga construction.
At (134 ft.) to (138 ft.) are traces only of a divisional wall.

(140 ft.)

S.W.21 ft. 8 in.2 ft. 2 in.No. 6 Enclosure
Measured from a yellow granite cement floor.

(160 ft.)

S.W.22 ft. 4 in.2 ft. 2 in.No. 6 Enclosure
Measured from a yellow granite cement floor.

(179 ft. 3 in.)
Angle of walls.

(180 ft.)

S.W.21 ft. 6 in.2 ft.No. 6 Enclosure
Measured from a yellow granite cement floor.
At (180 ft.) step-down of foundation of 5 ft.

(200 ft.)

S.S.W.17 ft. 6 in.1 ft. 2 in.No. 8 Enclosure
Measured from summit of old excavated débris, 5 ft. high (since removed).Sacred Enclosure (west)

(220 ft.)

S.S.W.22 ft.1 ft. 6 in.No. 8 Enclosure
Measured from summit of old excavated débris, 5 ft. high.Sacred Enclosure (west)

(240 ft.)

S.23 ft. 6 in.3 ft.No. 8 EnclosureNo. 8 Enclosure
Measured from summit of old excavated débris, 5 ft. high.Sacred Enclosure (west)
The large Conical Tower stands between (246 ft.) to (264 ft.).

(260 ft.)

S.26 ft. 6 in.2 ft. 10 in.No. 8 Enclosure
Measured from yellow granite cement floor.Sacred Enclosure (east)

(280 ft.)

S.26 ft. 6 in.2 ft. 4 in.No. 8 Enclosure
Measured from yellow granite cement floor.Sacred Enclosure (east)
The roughly built buttress at (286 ft.) to (303 ft.) is not ancient.

(300 ft.)

S.28 ft.2 ft. 6 in.No. 8 Enclosure
Measured from yellow cement floor.Sacred Enclosure (east)
There are doubts as to the antiquity of buttress(east) at (306 ft.) to (319 ft.).

(320 ft.)

S.S.E.29 ft.2 ft. 4 in.No. 8 Enclosure
Measured from yellow granite cement floor.Sacred Enclosure (east). At West Entrance to Parallel Passage.
Granite monolith (conjected) fallen from wall at (340 ft.).
Drain-hole through wall at (352 ft.).

(340 ft.)

S.S.E.28 ft. 10 in.2 ft. 2 in.Parallel Passage
Measured from cement floor.
At (352 ft.) is a drain-hole.

(360 ft.)

S.S.E.30 ft. 6 in.2 ft. 2 in.Parallel Passage
Measured from cement floor.

(380 ft.)

S.E.30 ft. 4 in.3 ft.Parallel Passage
Measured from cement floor.
Drain-hole at (391 ft. 6 in.).

(400 ft.)

S.E.29 ft.3 ft. 2 in.Parallel Passage
Measured from cement floor.

(420 ft.)

E.S.E.30 ft. 4 in.3 ft. 2 in.Parallel Passage
Measured from cement floor.

(440 ft.)

E.S.E.30 ft. 6 in.4 ft.Parallel Passage
Measured from cement floor.
Drain-hole at (442 ft.).

(460 ft.)

E.31 ft.3 ft. 6 in.Parallel Passage
Measured from soil surface.
Drain-hole at (471 ft.).

(480 ft.)

E.31 ft.2 ft. 4 in.Parallel Passage
Measured from soil surface.

(500 ft.)

N.E.27 ft.2 ft. 10 in.Parallel Passage
The summit of the wall is much dilapidated. Between (500 ft.) and (520 ft.) the wall is broken, there being a large gap of this width, the bottom of which is 14 ft. above present level of floor.

(520 ft.)

N.E.13 ft. 6 in.1 ft. 6 in.Parallel Passage
Between (520 ft.) and (530 ft.) is the North Entrance. Wall on east side 6 ft. high, on west side 6 ft. 6 in. high, but on each side rises sharply within a few feet of the entrance.
From (536 ft.) to (544 ft.) are remains of small banquette below summit, and at 6 ft. above ground.

(540 ft.)

N.N.E.18 ft.1 ft. 8 in.No. 2 Enclosure
Drain-hole at (549 ft.).

(560 ft.)

N.N.E.12 ft.2 ft.No. 2 Enclosure
Centre of line of summit is 3 ft. higher than reduced inside edge.
Between (566 ft.) and (570 ft.) is the mis-joint in earlier and later walls.

(580 ft.)

N. 3 ft.—No. 2 Enclosure
At (580 ft.) the wall on west side of gap rises abruptly.

(600 ft.)

N.18 ft.1 ft. 10 in.No. 3 Enclosure
Measured from an old cement floor.
Between (606 ft. 6 in.) and (611 ft. 6 in.) is the North-West Entrance.

(620 ft.)

N.W. 6 ft.10 in.No. 3 Enclosure
At (614 ft.) this wall rises perpendicularly to 16 ft.

(640 ft.)

N.N.W.16 ft. 6 in.1 ft. 6 in.No. 3 Enclosure
Measured from granite cement floor.

(660 ft.)

N.N.W.19 ft. 6 in.1 ft. 4 in.No. 3 Enclosure
Measured from granite cement floor.
Depression on summit caused by a tree.

(680 ft.)

N.N.W.20 ft. 6 in.1 ft. 2 in.No. 4 Enclosure
Measured from granite cement floor.

(700 ft.)

N.N.W.20 ft. 6 in.2 ft.No. 4 Enclosure
Measured from granite cement floor.

(720 ft.)

N.W.18 ft. 6 in.1 ft. 4 in.No. 4 Enclosure
Measured from granite cement floor.
Depression on summit caused by a tree.

(740 ft.)

N.W.19 ft.2 ft. 1 in.Wall separating Nos. 4 and 5 Enclosures
Measured from base of divisional wall.

(750 ft.)

N.W.18 ft. 10 in.1 ft. 10 in.No. 5 Enclosure
Measured from surface of soil.
Near (54 ft.) summit of wall drops to 9 ft. at north side of West Entrance.

(763 ft. 6 in.)

W.N.W. 7 ft.10 in.No. 5 Enclosure
Opening of West Entrance between (763 ft.) and (766 ft.).

(776 ft. 6 in.)

This is the south side of West Entrance, where first measurement started.

CHEVRON PATTERN ON EAST WALL, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE