Oval Enclosure.—The area of the oval enclosure is 170 ft. from north to south, and 86 ft. from east to west. These are its longest and its widest points. The floor is formed by comparatively level surfaces of granite rock. There is very little soil within the enclosure, and this consists of black mould, decomposed cement, and native clay. The walls still standing average some 4 ft. to 7 ft. in height, and are about 3 ft. 6 in. wide on their present reduced summits, and are battered-back. Plumb and angular walls are absent. The east wall is at one point carried over a large boulder 8 ft. high, and a few courses of blocks on the summit still remain. The north wall is considerably dilapidated, and the débris of this portion lies on the face of the declivity. The external faces of the walls are in a much better condition than the inner faces, for trees and shrubs which could not grow on the outer granite slopes manage to thrive in the very scanty soil of the interior. This enclosure has been used by the natives as a cattle kraal. Though cattle could not climb into the enclosure from outside, they no doubt damaged the inside faces of the walls by attempting to get outside from over the walls. The material for the stone foundations of circular huts of no very great age, which are to be seen in the enclosure, was very probably taken from the inside faces of the walls.
These Makalanga stone foundations, which are identical with those found in old Makalanga kraals, occupy the following positions. At 60 ft. from the south end and 12 ft. from the west side, foundations of stone blocks 19 ft. in diameter. At 110 ft. from south end and almost facing the west entrance, stone foundations of hut 22 ft. in diameter. At 8 ft. from north end foundation blocks disarranged and exact measurement impossible. At 60 ft. from south end and 10 ft. from east side is another foundation, but here again the blocks have become considerably disturbed.
This enclosure has two entrances, and these are on the south and west sides respectively. The south entrance is comparatively intact, but the west entrance is buried in wall débris and can only be traced on one side. Both are rounded. The south entrance walls are 3 ft. 6 in. high, the passage is 2 ft. wide and 7 ft. long, and there are portcullis grooves. The north side of the west entrance is formed by a large boulder 6 ft. high.
There is no trace of ornamentation on the walls, but if it ever existed, the walls having become so reduced, it must have disappeared. No article was found for which the slightest antiquity could be claimed, all the finds being obviously of native make, though somewhat superior to their make of to-day.
Parallel Passage.—Roughly speaking, the passage throughout its length of 246 ft. from north to south runs parallel with the east wall of the oval enclosure and follows it round in its curves, but narrowing towards its southern extremity. There is no entrance from the passage to the oval enclosure except at the south end. At the north end the passage is 47 ft. wide, and the formation rock forms the floor; at 40 ft. further south the passage is 36 ft. wide; at 80 ft. from the north end 22 ft. wide; at 160 ft., 19 ft. wide; at 190 ft., 13 ft. wide, which width is maintained as far as the southern extremity. The heights of the outer wall vary from 5 ft. to 7 ft., the best-preserved lengths being near the southern end, where a pair of traverses with rounded ends stand at a few feet north of the south entrance to the passage. This entrance has rounded sides.
A passage crosses from east to west at the southern extremity, and in it are three entrances with rounded sides. Opposite the south face of the southern extremity of the passage, and at 6 ft. distance is an independent screen wall, 16 ft. long and 5 ft. high, covering the approach to the entrance from the south. At several points in the parallel passage there are distinct traces of traverses.
The new path from Havilah Camp to the Elliptical Temple now runs through the parallel passage of these ruins.
CAMP RUINS NO. 1
Camp Ruins Nos. 1 and 2 lie north and south respectively of the Shangani Grave, which separates them, the huts of the camp being built on the north and wrest sides and within a few feet of the remains of Camp Ruins No. 1, which is Sir John Willoughby’s No. 3 Ruins in his Further Excavations at Zimbabye, 1892.
Sir John describes this ruin as follows:—