The remains of another raised platform—but this one of granite cement—are on the west side of the interior immediately on the left-hand side on entering the temple at the west entrance. This platform is now ruined owing to its having been trodden on by oxen when this temple was used as a cattle kraal. In 1888 three large soapstone birds on tall beams stood on this platform, but in 1890 were removed by Bent, and are now in the museum at Capetown. The holes in the cement made by Bent on digging out the bases of the beams can still be seen.
From 6 ft. north of this last-mentioned platform is some semi-circular clay-work rising in three tiers. Possibly these were steps leading up to the highest terraced level of the interior, but it may be doubted whether they had any claim to antiquity.
Sunken Passage.—This passage runs from south-west to north-east under the present floor of the Eastern Temple for 23 ft., starting from inside the banquette wall at 8 ft. east of the west entrance. Its depth is 9 ft. below the surface of interior of temple, but its side walls are only 7 ft. high. It is 4 ft. wide at the south end and 6 ft. wide at the north. At north-east end is a rounded buttress 5 ft. high. No approach or steps down into the passage have so far been discovered. The passage terminates at the large buttress (already mentioned), the summit of which is 4 ft. below the surface, is situated within 3 ft. and immediately in front of Bent’s “altar.” The east side wall of the passage is better built than the west side.
Bent’s “altar.”—This “altar” was stated by Bent to be 10 ft. nearer to the rising sun at the solstice than the centre of the arc of the curved, massive, and decorated main wall. Surveyors having located this spot, examinations were made in 1903, with the result that some twenty-five phalli, also some sections of phalli, and of carved portions of soapstone beams and bowls, were found within 3 ft. of this spot on two sides, and all within a few minutes of each other. This is by far the largest “find” of phalli ever made at Zimbabwe. At this spot Bent also made his largest “find” of phalli, solar discs, and other relics. The large soapstone birds were found 3 ft. or 4 ft. further south-west of the “altar.” Messrs. Posselt, who resided and farmed at Zimbabwe in 1888 and before the Occupation, wished to remove these birds, but the previous Mogabe (Chipfuno) refused his consent.
Internal walls.—On the north side of the interior of this temple is a wall acting as a retaining wall, with filled-in ground behind it forming a terrace. This upper terrace is at the highest point of the floor of the temple, and is 16 ft. long, 4 ft. high, and 2 ft. 6 in. on the summit. Judging by the amount of débris, this terrace had in all probability a parapet wall along its summit. The wall runs from N. 25° E. to S. 20° W., and starts from the south side of a huge boulder at 16 ft. north-west of the North Entrance.
On the south-west side and at the north-west end of the interior of the temple, and corresponding with the first terraced wall just described, is another terrace wall 12 ft. long and 3 ft. high, running eastwards from the south side of the cliff which forms the north-west side of the temple and the south-west side of the passage which runs from the Cleft Rock Enclosure to this temple. The two corresponding terraces form a junction with an abutment wall projecting south-east for 2 ft. 6 in. This projection is 2 ft. high and 5 ft. 6 in. wide.
Immediately in front of this projection on the south-east side and sloping down for some distance towards the lower part of the temple is some cement work, which, though old, does not appear to be ancient, for it contains splinters of time-worn monoliths which show signs of having once stood upon one of the walls. The purpose of this cement projection is not clearly seen, for tree roots have easily passed through such rough cement and have torn it out of all shape, besides which it has become decomposed and soft.
Between the angle formed by this last-described terraced wall and the projection just mentioned is a very rudely cemented floor also much decomposed. The few steps leading up from the flooring at this point towards the path to the Cleft Rock Enclosure are quite modern, having been built by the writer to enable visitors to pass over the débris of a large rounded buttress which once stood against the north-west side of the nearest boulder. From the top of this débris pile steps of an ancient character, and more or less defined, continue up the slope at the foot of the south side of the cliff where runs a path towards the Cleft Rock Enclosure.
A second and lower terrace is 4 ft. long and 4 ft. high, and is carried on a red cement foundation 18 in. thick. It terminates abruptly on the south-west extremity in a broken end. This wall juts out from the south side of the north cliff at 15 ft. east of the North Entrance, and runs south-west. Immediately behind this wall is a second wall running parallel with it, the face of the second or back wall actually touching the back of the front wall. This back wall runs south-west for 5 ft. beyond the end of the front wall, where it also terminates in a broken end. It is 3 ft. high, but in all probability it was once much higher.
The Balcony Enclosure, which is at the north-west end of the temple and is described later, provided another entrance to this temple, the Balcony Enclosure being approached from the west and north sides respectively by the passage through the Balcony Cave and the ascent from Rock Holes Path.