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 height of the reduced summit for 60 ft. averages 9 ft. to 13 ft. on either side of the wall, but as these heights are taken from raised cement steps, platforms, and sections of floors, at least another 2 ft. or 3 ft. may be added to their present reduced height, for the greatest height from foundation to summit is 15 ft. 6 in. The original height may safely be estimated at 20 ft. above the cement flooring. This estimate is justified by the great amount of wall débris found along the bases of either side of the wall. On the summit near the south end of the wall are the remains of a banquette, and these inner terraces or look-outs are almost invariably behind walls which are at least breast high above the floor of the banquette; moreover, the batter-back of the faces of the wall would well allow of a wall 20 ft. high and yet leave a fairly wide summit. Where the entrance facing the E.N.E. passes through this wall, the side walls are reduced to 5 ft. in height on either side above the floor of the entrance, which is 3 ft. above the foundation of the wall.

This entrance, like those in the main walls of the Elliptical Temple, is carried over the foundation of the wall, and this forms its passage floor. It is 2 ft. wide and 6 ft. 6 in. long, and has two rounded buttresses on the inner side, and these have portcullis grooves. These buttresses are built upon a semi-circular platform projecting 6 ft. into the interior of the building, thus making the entrance passage about 12 ft. in length. The floor of the entrance is covered with granite cement.

One peculiar feature in the construction of this wall is that, while the northern end is rounded off, the southern end is continued in the form of a portion of a loop, which circles southwards and eastwards, and then runs back into the east face of the curved wall, enclosing an almost circular area of 10 ft. in diameter. The wall in this loop is well built. The average height of the loop-wall is 6 ft., but on the south side it rises to 10 ft., where the width of the summit is 3 ft. The interior was rudely filled up with stones, below which was a cement floor 3 ft. higher than the outside level and 6 ft. above the foundation. This raised platform or pulpit is approached on the west side by a few steps leading up to a rounded opening into the loop.

This curved wall, massive as it is, does not form an outer wall of these ruins, but crosses their centre, dividing them into two parts. It is apparently independent so far as its plan, superior character of construction, and purpose are concerned.

At the west side of the curved wall, and at the centre of the curve, is a wall 23 ft. long projecting towards the interior of the building. This is 3 ft. high at its western extremity, but its summit rapidly rises to 8 ft. in height. It has a slight curve towards the south. On its north side is a small recess extending from base to summit, and this is exactly similar in construction to the recesses in “Buttress” or “Recess Enclosure” on the Acropolis.

On either side of this wall, and in the angles formed by the curved wall, are low granite cement platforms which are rounded on the front faces. These resemble the “blind steps” found in all the main ruins at Zimbabwe.

The purpose of the erection of the curved wall might possibly have been for solar or astronomical observations, and though this is a mere conjecture, the following points may lend it some support:—

(1) In close proximity to this curved wall, and on its eastern side, was discovered the soapstone beam with carved bird on the summit—this being the finest specimen yet discovered at Zimbabwe—also phalli and ancient relics of the oldest type. The soapstone birds had so far been discovered only at the Western and Eastern Temples on the Acropolis.

(2) The discovery under the wall débris which lay along each side of the wall at its base of quantities of lengths of broken soapstone beams which, though not carved, had been worked with tools, the widths of the edges of the chisel being very plainly discernible, some sections being beautifully rounded and polished. These are believed to have originally decorated the summit of the wall, a suggestion supported by the shape and markings on the bases of several beams so discovered. Soapstone beams once fixed on the summits of walls had previously been discovered only at the three temples.

(3) The proximity of a small conical tower in an adjoining enclosure at the north-eastern end of this wall.