All the divisional walls of the interior are undoubtedly of Makalanga construction, and the local Makalanga claim them as having been made early in the time of Mokomo, the previous Zimbabwe chief, whose kraal occupied the north summit of this hill. This remark does not apply to the buttresses on either side of the west entrance.
THE CLEFT ROCK, CLEFT ROCK ENCLOSURE, LOOKING SOUTH FROM EXTERIOR, ACROPOLIS
A NATURAL ARCHWAY IN CENTRAL PASSAGE, ACROPOLIS
The enclosure is approached on the south-west by the recently opened passage at the north foot of The Platform steps, also on the west by the squared entrance from the Platform Enclosure, and on the south it is believed to have had an entrance through the Buttress Passage (described later). The huge pile of stone-wall débris on the south side was recently stacked here, having been removed from the Platform Enclosure and passage.
THE PLATFORM
This is an elevated position at the east corner of the Western Temple, commanding a splendid view of the whole of the interior of the temple and of the surrounding enclosures. It appears to have been erected for the same purposes as were The Platform in the Elliptical Temple in the valley, and the Ancient Balcony in the Eastern Temple on the hill.
Its height is 27 ft. 6 in. above the present floor of the temple, and about 32 ft. above any of its ancient floors. It is 250 ft. above the level of the valley. The summit of The Platform projects out towards the west from the upper face of a huge boulder which forms the west end of the cliffs and boulders which ridge along the summit of this hill.
A wall 2 ft. high and from 1 ft. 10 in. to 2 ft. 6 in. wide runs west from the boulder at the back across the centre of The Platform and terminates in a rounded end overlooking the temple. On the east side of this low wall is an embrasure 3 ft. wide, also overlooking the temple, at the south end of which is a parapet wall now from 1 ft. to 3 ft. high and 12 ft. long, also on the edge of the temple wall. This forms the west side of the approach to The Platform from the south, which is further formed by the Winding Stairs.