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

The “finds” at the cylinder were three large black beads with white lines possibly identical with a similar bead found by Bent on the Acropolis, to which (p. 205) he ascribes a very great age; also under the curved-in side of the cylinder were scratched out some fifty light green beads with encircling ribs, and these both local Makalanga and Barotse natives state are completely strange to them; some yellow and green glass beads of microscopic size, the holes being scarcely visible without the aid of a magnifying glass; a miniature phallus carved, old pottery, and a small block of mica split up into sheets. In the side of the trench on a clay floor 1 ft. above, and at the back of the cylinder, is a stratum of ashes out of which a quantity of beaten copper sheetings, copper tacks, a large copper battle-axe, and a very thick copper bangle were drawn.

Above the cylinder were at least four floors with ashes on each, and the remains of a furnace on two of them. Above the top floor were 3 ft. of very hard soil, and 18 in. of black soil, and on the top were the remains of a decayed tree, which must have been at least fifty or sixty years old.

Covered Passage.—This passage is at the eastern end of the temple, to which it served as an approach from The Platform. It is 2 ft. wide, 6 ft. 6 in. high, has a rounded end on the north side, is 10 ft. long, and the high wall over it is supported by five large slate lintels. The passage opens out at the east end at the foot of The Winding Stairs. In the passage the writer found (August, 1902) a Makalanga grave, and with the permission of the local chief, the skeletal remains were removed and re-interred elsewhere.

Platform Cave.—This cave is immediately below The Platform, and opens on to the floor of the temple. It is 8 ft. to 10 ft. high throughout a length of 22 ft. At 11 ft. from the entrance the width is 2 ft. 10 in., and at the innermost point 4 ft. 6 in., where it is walled up with blocks. The cave is formed by an immense boulder on the east side and by two large boulders on the west side. It had two floors, the higher floor being 4 ft. above the lower one. The top floor, which was of red clay, was obviously of Makalanga make, but the lower one, which is made of granite cement, is believed to be of a late ancient period. Probably a still more ancient flooring may be found lower. On the top floor was a modern Makalanga grave, and the remains were removed elsewhere and re-interred. On the lower floor some of the fragments of the decorated soapstone found by Bent, and of which he mentions what fragments were missing, were discovered by the writer within a few feet of the spot where Bent found the larger portions of this beam.

Stairs to Platform.—The entrance to the Platform Cave is narrowed by the lower steps of a flight of stairs rising from the interior of the temple over the two boulders, which form the northern side of the cave, up to the upper flight of stairs on the north side of The Platform. The steps are considerably ruined, but can be traced, the stones being covered with a cement not believed to be ancient.

Parallel Passage.—This passage extends from the point where the Higher Parapet enters the temple at its south-west corner, the south wall of the temple forming its south side. The eastern extremity of this passage is at the wide gap in the south wall. Its total length is 71 ft. The walls on the north side vary in height from 5 ft. to 13 ft., according to the rise and fall of its floor. Its width varies from 2 ft. to 3 ft. Half-way along are traces of steps, also at its lowest point. This Parallel Passage appears to be similar in purpose, so far as can be surmised, to that of the Parallel Passage in the Elliptical Temple in the valley.

Internal walls.—These are five in number, so far as discoveries have been made; and for the purposes of this description, and for the assistance of visitors, are lettered A to E on boards affixed to the walls.

A. This is the wall mentioned in the description of the main west wall as being built up against the inner face of the main wall, and as protruding 9 ft. into the temple in a south-easterly direction.

B. This is a small isolated section of a wall with broken ends, and is 28 ft. south-west of the north wall, and 38 ft. from the west wall. It is 4 ft. long, 2 ft. 6 in. wide, 4 ft. high, and its faced sides are north-east and south-west.

C. A small isolated section of wall 38 ft. 6 in. from the north wall, and 44 ft. from the west wall. It is 5 ft. high and 7 ft. wide, and its ends are broken. Its faces are fairly well built, its foundations rest on made ground, and red clay, not cement, can be seen on the trench all round the wall.