SOUTH-EAST RUINS
These ruins are situated at the south-eastern extremity of the Zimbabwe Ruins’ area where the Valley of Ruins terminates on its eastern side, and are only ten minutes’ walk from Havilah Camp. They occupy a summit of a bare and rounded kopje, commanding most extensive views of the country beyond Schlichter Gorge to the south and of the Arowi district towards the east-north-east. Its position is highly strategetic, and there is a steep descent on the south-west side into a deep gorge, down which the stream rising on the east side of the Elliptical Temple flows toward the Mapudzi.
The area of well-defined walls is 140 ft. from north to south, and 120 ft. from east to west, but there are traces of walls in all directions—on the south at 70 yds. and on the south-west at 20 yds. distance. The formation rock crops to the present surface at many places, and the depth of soil elsewhere is inconsiderable.
The style of building very closely resembles that of Ridge Ruins, which lie between the Elliptical Temple and Havilah Camp, as to which there are considerable doubts of its being of very remote antiquity.
The walls, the majority of which are of massive proportions, are not at all well built, blocks of all sizes and shapes having been employed, and there is little or no attempt to adhere to courses. The present reduced average height of the walls is from 4 ft. to about 6 ft., but, judging from wall débris, every wall must have originally been at least some 7 ft. or 8 ft. in height. The walls are from 4 ft. to 5 ft. wide at base, and 3 ft. to 4 ft. wide at their very much reduced summits.
The plan of the building is laid on curved lines, and the only entrance which remains intact has rounded sides. It is possible these buildings once had six outer and inner entrances. The main entrance appears to have been on the west side.
SOUTH-EAST RUINS
Zimbabwe
There are about eight enclosures, and in some of these there are remains of very old Makalanga huts, and the soil of the interior is filled with great quantities of Kafir pottery, iron-work, iron slag, cattle bones, and ashes. Two Kafir graves were found, but these were not of any great age. Local natives state their own people once lived here, but not in their time, and this is extremely probable; but they do not think the walls were built by any Makalanga.
On the east side, just outside the main wall, there are three sets of isafuba game-holes cut into the formation rock. Each set has four rows of eight holes each.
The ruins have been but partially examined at several points, but nothing of any antique character has been found here.
CHAPTER XX
“THE VALLEY OF RUINS”
(Continued)
No. 1 Ruins—Ridge Ruins—Camp Ruins, Nos. 1 and 2.