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

Coming up the ascent, and 9 ft. 6 in. from its summit, the path divides as before mentioned at the wedge-shaped buttress, the right-hand path being the approach to the Higher Parapet. Three feet above this wedge-shaped end of wall are clear traces of large steps, and at this point and on the right-hand side is a portion of dentelle pattern introduced into the wall, and this faces due west. This pattern originally consisted of five columns of blocks with projecting edges, but the lower portions of four columns now only remain. The blocks are in five courses. Unlike the dentelle blocks lower in the ascent, and also the blocks in this pattern on the Platform of the Western Temple, these blocks are of the ordinary size used in building the walls, and in size resemble the blocks used in this pattern on the east main wall of the Eastern Temple, and also those in this pattern on the Conical Tower in the Elliptical Temple.

The highest part of the outer wall of the Higher Parapet is now only 2 ft. 6 in., with a similar width on the top. The width of the approach to this parapet from the wedge-shaped end of the dividing wall is 2 ft. on the floor. The wall on the inner side of the parapet at its western end is 4 ft. 6 in. to 6 ft. high, and rounds off to the south to the wedge-shaped end where it terminates.

Visitors should refrain from passing along the Higher Parapet unless they are perfectly certain no one is in the Rock Passage at the time, as any block put in motion even by the careful climber must fall into the passage below. As before stated, the parapet wall is very dilapidated and blocks might fall at the slightest movement near them. But even with this caution the Higher Parapet is not a safe place for visitors, for, as can be seen from below, the foundations of the parapet, which are built over the brink of the precipice, show a bulging out which must sooner or later effect the destruction of the parapet.

The Higher Parapet would enable the ancient defenders to effectually block the approach of any enemy through the Rock Passage, however great their number.

There are two points worthy of notice in connection with this ancient ascent:—-

1. Original heights of walls.—The walls of the ascent in their original state were considerably higher than even the highest (9 ft.) as seen at two points to-day. In discussing this matter with some of the Makalanga headmen, it was ascertained that even within their day, say fifty years—for Mogabe is fully seventy years of age—some of the highest walls were 4 ft. or 5 ft. higher than they are at present. But on examining the numerous and immense wall-débris piles which were removed in August, 1902, the estimate as to the heights of the walls in their original form has to be very considerably increased, for these piles were only the débris of the inner side walls and of the inner faces of the outer walls, since the main portions of the outer walls which have fallen have gone down the precipice, for at its base one can walk for over 100 yds. on wide and high piles of wall débris which has fallen down from the outer walls of the ascent.

The present widths of the walls also are some guide in forming an estimate of their original heights. Some of these walls are from 5 ft. to 7 ft. wide on their present very reduced summits, and taking the usual Zimbabwe batter-back of 1 ft. in 6 ft. which is found in many of the buildings of the first period of Zimbabwe architecture—and these buildings are most manifestly of that period—it would be within a safe limit were it stated that these passage walls were at least 15 ft. high on either side throughout the greater length of the ascent. This estimate would then fairly account for the great amount of wall débris with which whole lengths of the ascent were completely choked up, in some places to the tops of the walls on either side, and also for the wall débris at the foot of the ascent.

Certainly most of the damage to the walls was done centuries ago, for the ancient blocks on the sides and tops of the débris piles have, since they fell into their present position on the piles, become on all their exposed faces and sides, and even on their back parts, as weathered and time-eaten, and in some cases as decomposed, as the front faces of the blocks remaining in the walls.

But, unfortunately, irreparable damage has been done to these walls within the last twenty years, and certainly within the last ten years, for trees of not older growths than these periods were found to be growing right in the centres of the walls, their roots pushing out lengths of wall faces. This is the cause of the destruction of the lower set of dentelle pattern, which has certainly been effected during the last ten years. The inside of the wall from which the dentelle blocks have fallen has every appearance of being quite fresh, and is not in the slightest degree weather or time-worn.

2. The ascent from the coast route.—This ancient ascent being on the south side of the hill, and running for 600 yds. from the valley at the clear east end of the hill up the south face to the summit, it may naturally be taken for granted that this was the path along which all arrivals by the route from the coast at or near Sofala would approach Zimbabwe Fortress. As there are only two ancient ascents, the southern and the north-western, and all other parts of the hill being inaccessible, this conjecture may probably be the correct one, for to have traversed the North-Western Passage for such a purpose would have taken the ancients at least one mile out of their way. Every step taken down the Southern Passage was one taken nearer to the coast.