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

SOAPSTONE MONOLITHS AND BEAMS

Monoliths of soapstone have only been found in the three temples, but in greater profusion in the Eastern Temple on the Acropolis, and at Philips Ruins. Here they were found by their sections to have been of various diameters, but every one had been shaped with tools, some being artistically, others only crudely, decorated, but the majority were plain. Chevron pattern was evidently the favourite design employed. The Makalanga are believed to have used some of the broken sections of soapstone monoliths and beams for carving their I-daha pipe-bowls, in making which they are known to have excelled. This would save them the necessity of transporting the material to Zimbabwe from the soapstone formation, the nearest point of which is twelve miles in a north-western direction. Natives to-day have been seen taking away very small splinters of soapstone found in the débris heaps. These they cut with a knife into any crude shape that may be suggested to their passing fancy. The number of bases of soapstone monoliths is far greater than the number of splintered or broken sections found in the wall-débris heaps along the foot of the walls.

Several sections of rounded soapstone beams were also found among the blocks on the summit of the main wall of the Elliptical Temple, and other sections were also discovered here in the débris at the foot of either side of the main wall. These sections, though plain, are beautifully finished, but being the lower portions above the bases, are without pattern. Probably the higher portions were decorated, as the decoration in several instances of soapstone beams discovered does not extend low down on the monoliths. The radii of the sections found in the Elliptical Temple varied considerably, while some had flat-worked faces with narrow ends artificially rounded.

The discovery in all three temples of so many bases and sections of different sized soapstone monoliths suggests the question: Have the present standing slate and granite monoliths been, at any rate in some instances, erected at a later period to replace fallen or fractured soapstone monoliths?

(a) Splinters of undoubted soapstone monoliths, some carved with geometrical patterns, have been found in large quantities in the lowest strata of wall-débris at each of the three temples only; sometimes they were found on the formation rock and below the wall débris, but at the foot of all the faces of the walls on the summits of which are at present only slate and unhewn granite are monoliths still more or less complete and erect.

(b) On the summits of walls on which are slate and granite monoliths numerous small fragments of rounded lengths of soapstone, identical with soapstone beams and some similarly carved, have been found. These instances were frequently noticed in all the temples, May-November, 1902, but especially in the Elliptical Temple, where are now only granite and slate monoliths.

Bent deduced from the various succeeding styles of Zimbabwe architecture that the ancient style of workmanship changed its form some time between the period of the earliest builders and the later ones, and this would explain why the original monoliths were of more artistic form, with carvings and decorations. How far this has any connection with the theory of the probable substitution, patent, at any rate, in some instances, of plain and unhewn granite and slate monoliths for the fallen and ornate soapstone monoliths, it might be premature to enlarge upon at present, for, judging by the condition of the oldest walls on which certain granite monoliths are fixed, some of these monoliths sunk deep into the summits of the walls were obviously erected when the walls were originally constructed. For instance, one carved soapstone monolith was found built into a wall on the north side of the Western Temple to a depth of 5 ft., while the original height of the wall could not have been more than 8 ft.

However, both ancient architecture and relics unquestionably prove that between the earliest and the latest periods of ancient occupation there was a marked falling off and decadence in the conception and erection of both buildings and in the character of the articles found.