NO. 7 ENCLOSURE
This enclosure is on the south side of the temple, the south and south-west wall running for 55 ft. parallel with the main wall at a distance of about 21 ft. This enclosure, next to No. 1 Enclosure, is in the best state of preservation of any chamber within the temple. Its area is 54 ft. 6 in. from north to south, and 39 ft. from east to west, and its form resembles a quarter section of a circle, with its rounded side extending from south-west to north, the centre of which quarter-circle is at the south-south-east end of the area. The present surface of the area is very uneven, owing to the operations of excavators and searchers for relics.
There are two entrances still more or less intact, one on the south-west side leading into No. 6 Enclosure, and the other at the north corner, but facing west. Possibly there was also an entrance on the east side, where a gigantic fig tree, 50 ft. high, now stands.
The south-west entrance (see section) is protected on the inside by rounded buttresses on either side, which project 2 ft. 6 in. into the enclosure. These buttresses, of which only the lower courses now remain, are built upon, and at each end of, a semi-circular base 11 ft. long protruding 4 ft. 6 in. into the enclosure, the face courses of which curve inwards, one above and behind, the other between the side buttresses, and so form steps up to the entrance, the courses above the steps being carried round the buttresses. There are no traces of portcullis grooves. This is a form of steps found in the entrances through the main wall of the temple, and in the entrances in many ruins of the oldest or first-period style of architecture, whether at Zimbabwe or elsewhere in the country.
WEST ENTRANCE TO No. 7 ENCLOSURE, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE
SOUTH WALL OF No. 7 ENCLOSURE, SHEWING PART (TO LEFT) RECONSTRUCTED, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE
The north entrance is of exactly similar construction, but is in a better state of preservation, the one buttress remaining being still 5 ft. high. This entrance has portcullis grooves.
The best-built portion of the walls of this enclosure is undoubtedly that of the curved wall which extends from south-west to north. This is a fine piece of work, and the face of the wall is very regular. This wall is from 11 ft. to 13 ft. high on the inside, and 11 ft. to 14 ft. high on the outside, and is 4 ft. 6 in. wide in its present summit, the line of which is even except at its extremities. Judging by the block débris, this wall might once have been fully 2 ft. to 3 ft. higher. The centre of the outward curve of the wall is 11 ft. west from a line drawn between the extreme points of the curve.
The south wall may be divided into two sections, the westerly portion being well built, and the easterly portion very poorly constructed, having numerous straight joints, disappearing and false courses, and is built of stones of all sizes and shapes. This latter part is evidently a reconstruction at a later date and on the old foundations. Where the joint was made between the old and the later walls is very clearly discernible, while there is a deep depression in the summit of the wall at this point. These depressions almost always exist in joints between old and later walls. This wall is 32 ft. long, between 8 ft. and 9 ft. high, and is 4 ft. wide on its reduced summit.
The eastern side is in four lengths: (1) a small portion of wall in the south-east corner 6 ft. long, 6 ft. high, and 4 ft. wide; (2) a gap of 14 ft., evidently made by past and present trees; (3) a wall 7 ft. high, 13 ft. long, and 3 ft. wide on its summit (the lower portion of this section is built up against (4), but in the upper section it is built into it); and (4) a wall 16 ft. long, 9 ft. high, 4 ft. wide on summit. This wall has been partly ruined at its western end by the roots of a large tree.
The connection between sections (3) and (4) where the lower portion of (3) is built up against and is independent of (4), while the upper portion of (3) is built and bonded into and forms part of (4), has an exact parallel in the west wall of Recess Enclosure on the Acropolis, where the lower portions of two walls are independent of each other, but their higher portions are bonded and built as one wall.
In August, 1902, some thirty tons of explorers’ débris of old date were removed from this enclosure, and a floor of granite cement was disclosed at its south end, in the middle of which, and forming part of the cement work, is a raised circular platform 7 in. high, 16 ft. 10 in. in circumference, and with rounded sides. Close to it was found a rounded piece of diorite extensively marked with hammerings, as if it had been used for an anvil.
Along the base of the south wall is a cemented edging 6 in. high, 17 ft. long, with rounded edges, protruding 8 in. to 12 in. from the wall. In the south corner are two blind steps made of granite cement (see Architecture—Blind Steps).
CHAPTER XII
THE ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE
Sacred Enclosure—Conical Tower—Small Tower—Parallel Passage.
NO. 8
THE SACRED ENCLOSURE
THIS enclosure, which contains the Conical Tower and the now ruined “Little Cone,” lies on the south-east of the temple area, the main east wall from south-east to east-north-east being its eastern boundary from (186 ft.) to (315 ft).
In shape it is long and narrow, the Conical Tower practically dividing the area into two almost equal sections: Sacred Enclosure (east), and Sacred Enclosure (west).
The length of this enclosure measured along the inside face of the main wall is 129 ft. 2 in. The northern side is formed by sections of walls which in the main run parallel with the south wall of the temple. The northern sections of walls are at the following distances from the main wall: at the extreme west 25 ft.; at (186 ft.) 31 ft.; on either side of the Conical Tower 26 ft.; at (300 ft.) 17 ft.; and at the extreme east 5 ft, this last portion for 13 ft. being greatly narrowed by large buttresses on either side up to the entrance of the Parallel Passage.
The northern wall sections commencing at the west end are as follows:—
A wall 28 ft. long forming the south wall of No. 11 Enclosure. The first section of 20 ft. is indifferently built, but the last 8 ft. well constructed. The joint between the two classes of walls is obvious, and the inferior wall is considerably dilapidated at its western end, especially at the western entrance. The highest portion is 9 ft. 6 in. above the present surface of the interior.
The second section is the south wall of The Platform, which rounds on a length of 24 ft. into Sacred Enclosure (west) for 7 ft., and recedes again directly north of the Conical Tower. This rounded wall is exceedingly well built. Its summit is practically level, and its height is 11 ft. to 14 ft., according to the rise and fall of the floor or steps of the enclosure.
The third section is a wall 48 ft. long, extending from north of the Conical Tower to the entrance of the Parallel Passage. From the south side of this wall, and just inside the north entrance, is a wall 13 ft. high, 5 ft. wide, narrowing as the Conical Tower is approached, projecting towards the north-east side of the Conical Tower. The last 27 ft. of this third section is evidently of a later period construction. The joint of the older and later walls is very clearly defined, and there is a depression on the summit at this point. The height of the wall varies from 14 ft. to 16 ft.
The Sacred Enclosure has four entrances—south-west, west, north, and east.
The south-west entrance is from No. 6 Enclosure. This has rounded walls and portcullis grooves, and is 5 ft. high on either side, 2 ft. wide, and runs through a wall 4 ft. 10 in. thick. On the inside of this entrance are the remains of steps which relic prospectors have destroyed. The floor of the entrance is 4 ft. above the floor of the enclosure.
The western entrance, which leads from No. 9 Enclosure, is also rounded, and had portcullis grooves, and its floor was once paved with cement. This entrance is in a very dilapidated condition, owing to trees and creepers.
The north or main entrance to this enclosure is rounded on either side, and has portcullis grooves. It is 2 ft. 10 in. wide, and is directly north of the Conical Tower, between which and this entrance the floor is substantially paved with cement, and has cement steps leading down into the enclosure on the west side of the Conical Tower.
VISITORS’ LADDER TO SUMMIT OF MAIN WALL, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE
THE SMALL CONICAL TOWER, ELLIPTICAL TEMPLE
The east entrance leads from the Parallel Passage, and measurements of it are given in the description of that passage.
The buttresses on either side of the inner side of the eastern entrance have not the appearance of being ancient, unless they had once collapsed and been roughly rebuilt at a much later period.
The eastern section of this enclosure has been cleared of débris down to the level of a yellow granite cement floor. In several places this flooring has been destroyed by roots of both past and present trees of great size. This section appears to have had to absorb all rainfall from the south-east area of the temple, as this enclosure is at a much lower level than the adjoining enclosures, and this may account for the decomposition at some points of the cement floor. The clearing to the cement floor has also been carried round the base of the Conical Tower, which now stands upon an almost level floor. The spot where Bent sank the hole through the cement can plainly be seen on the south side of the tower. The clearing also disclosed a granite cement step at the north entrance with a level cement floor on the inner side between it and the north side of the tower. This floor is 2 ft. above the cement floor round the base of the tower, from which raised floor two granite steps between the tower and The Platform lead down to the floor of the western section of the enclosure.
In the western section the floor along the base of the main wall is buried in débris to a depth of 1 ft. 6 in. to 5 ft. From the base of the northern wall of this section to the centre of the area is a cemented floor laid on a pavement of blocks, but in some places the cement has become decomposed. In the west corner of this section of the enclosure is a floor raised 3 ft. above the cement floor, but this is very roughly built, and appears to have been a filling-in by some late occupiers of the temple. On the east side of this raised floor, and acting as its retaining wall on that side, are the remains of a wall 4 ft. high and 4 ft. wide projecting from the reconstructed portion of the north wall, and most probably of even a later date than the obviously reconstructed wall, seeing that it is built up against it.
In the angle formed by the 28-ft. section of the north wall of the western area and the wall of The Platform is a set of “blind steps,” two in number, and with a platform 8 ft. by 6 ft. square, the steps and the platform being covered with granite cement (see Architecture—Blind Steps).
Small portions of granite cement are to be found in the joints of the blocks of the main wall up to a height of 7 ft., and also to a similar height on the north wall of the eastern section of this enclosure, while in the angle of this latter wall and the buttress built up against it are the remains of a granite cement dado (see Architecture—Cement Dadoes).
THE CONICAL TOWER[52]
This celebrated tower, which forms one of the chief architectural features of the Zimbabwe ruins, stands in the centre of the Sacred Enclosure, dividing it into two areas. The south-east of the tower is 3 ft. 10 in. from the main wall of the temple (at 255 ft.) from the south side of the west entrance. It is 31 ft. high on its south-east face; 30 ft. on the south-west side; 26 ft. 6 in. on its north-east side; and 29 ft. on the north-west side. These measurements are taken from the actual foundation, which is only a few inches below the granite cement flooring surrounding its base on all sides but the north. The average height of the reduced summit of the tower in 1894 was 32 ft., and it was then far more level than as seen to-day. Bent believed the original height to have been 35 ft., at which point he thought it once had a level top, 4 ft in diameter. Photographs taken in 1891 give a very good impression of what the tower was like previous to the dilapidation, which took place immediately after that time.
It is difficult to state the exact circumference of the base throughout the extent of the foundations, as a granite cement raised floor, with steps, is constructed up against the base of the north side, but it may be taken to be about 57 ft. 6 in. The measurements of the circumference of the tower at different heights are as follows: at 5 ft. above floor 53 ft. 8 in.; at 10 ft., 50 ft. 4 in.; at 15 ft., 46 ft. 1 in.; at 20 ft., 39 ft.; at 25 ft., 32 ft.; at 27 ft. 6 in. (where the broken portion of the summit commences), 30 ft. 2 in. The average battering back of the tower, so far as the broken edges of the present summit will permit of approximately correct measurements being taken, is, at the following heights, as follows: at 10 ft. above floor 1 ft. 7 in.; at 15 ft., 1 ft. 10 in.; at 20 ft., 2 ft. 6 in.; at 25 ft., 4 ft. 2 in.; and at 27 ft., 5 ft. 5 in.
The battering is far more regular on the west and south sides, where it is also a few inches less severe. To secure the inclining back of the sides of the cone, the blocks from front to back on its circumference are laid on the flat on a dead level, and yet so slightly do the blocks of one course lie back beyond the edge of the faces of the blocks of the course below that, except at one or two points, it is almost impossible to notice where the batter takes place. Even the blocks in the bulge on the north side have been ascertained to be still perfectly level.
There is a slight bulging on the east and north-east sides at 10 ft. to 15 ft. above the floor, and this somewhat reduces the extent of battering-back on those sides at that height. This bulging creates an optical delusion, for visitors almost always declare that the tower has tilted slightly to the north-east. But this tilting has now been proved not to exist. There are many causes which may have brought about the bulging. A large branch of hard-wood tree, the trunk of which is believed to have been over one hundred years old, had for years, even in light breezes, scraped up and down this side of the tower, and also it was on this side that most of the monkey rope, creepers, and bushes were growing out of the crevices of the tower from base to summit.
The foundations are exceedingly shallow, being only some 10 in. to 18 in. below the granite cement flooring. The foundation of the main wall near this point is only 10 in. below the same flooring. The lowest course of blocks of the tower is of the average size of the blocks used in the face of the structure. These rest on what was originally granite cement, but which, with the dripping of storm water for centuries down the large area of the face of the tower, has now become mere yellow sand. This, however, remains very firm, and still makes a good foundation. The foundations have not at any point sunk below their original level, but there are evidences that its enormous weight has caused the tower to settle firmly on to its bed.
The present reduced summit of the tower, where it is intact, slants down from the west and south and south-east edges some 4 ft. towards the north-east, but the block débris on the summit only slants for 2 ft. in the same direction. In the centre of the summit is a hole sunk down into the top of the tower some 4 ft. It will be remembered that Dr. Karl Mauch (1871) admitted having made this hole for the purpose of ascertaining whether the tower was solid. The hole was once much deeper, but debris has filled it up to 4 ft. from the summit. Mauch also made a second hole in the west face of the tower at 5 ft. from the floor. This also showed the tower to be solid. Theodore Bent (1891) also made a hole for a similar purpose. This is on the south face, and extends from the foundation to 4 ft. above the flooring, and he pronounced the tower to be perfectly solid. A certain Rhodesian, bent, as he confessed, on finding “The Treasure Chamber”(!), made another hole on the east side, at 5 ft. from the ground, and with the same result, but this hole is so neatly built up afresh that it can only just be located. The hole made by Mauch remained unbuilt up until 1902, and several courses above it have consequently sagged. In 1902 a thin wire rod inserted in this last hole and passed through joints of internal dry masonry for 8 ft. towards the centre showed the tower to be solid.
The dentelle pattern, which Mauch stated ran round the eastern portion of the summit of the tower, is now represented by only ten blocks. These form three sets of double courses of the dentelle pattern, as on the summit of the eastern face of the Eastern Temple on the hill, and two blocks of a lower course more to the east, and two loose dentelle blocks lying on the summit of the tower. One extremity of the pattern was undoubtedly, as can be seen on close inspection, facing the south-east, but it extended some little distance round towards the east, but how far it is now quite impossible to ascertain. Mauch owned to having destroyed a portion of the pattern in making the hole on the summit.
The pattern was formed by two rows of wedge-shaped blocks placed to project 2 in. beyond the face of the wall, while above them, just as in the dentelle patterns elsewhere, were placed heavy blocks and throughs or ties, as if to bind effectively the stones forming the patterns, as the introduction of a decorative pattern in ancient walls anywhere in Rhodesia can be seen to have proved a point of weakness in the durability of the faces of the walls. The summit of the tower has been greatly dilapidated by small trees and bushes growing on the top, the stumps and roots of which can still be seen.
The best idea of the symmetry and accuracy of the contour of the tower can be obtained by standing on the summit of the main wall, near the top of the visitors’ ladder.