MAPAKU, OR “LITTLE ZIMBABWE” RUINS
These ruins are situated at a distance of seven miles south-east of Zimbabwe, and occupy a position overlooking the Motelekwe Valley, and are on the eastern side of the lower shoulders of the southern extremity of the Beroma Range. On the south side of the ruins the ground falls in the direction of the Motelekwe River, which here flows south to south-west of the ruins at the distance of about a mile. The Mapaku kraal is a quarter of a mile north-west of the ruins. At the village are some caves (I-Baku, cave; Mapaku, caves). The headman is a Molinye, younger brother to the Mogabe Handisibishe of Zimbabwe. Good water can be obtained from several places in the vicinity of the ruins.
MAPAKU RUINS
or “Little Zimbabwe”
The area covered by these ruins, excepting traces of outlying walls, is 70 ft. from north to south, and 80 ft. from east to west. Though the ruins are small in area, yet they have a considerable importance, seeing that they form one of the ruins of the chain of such structures which stretches at certain intervals from Zimbabwe along the Motelekwe River, which chain again connects with the chain of a similar class of ruins running from the lower Sabi in Portuguese territory in the direction of Sofala. The chains of ruins appear to point out the ancient approach from the coast to the metropolitan centre at Zimbabwe and the gold districts of Southern Mashonaland and Matabeleland.
The thickness and height of the walls are the first features which will strike anyone on entering the building, especially when the small size of the centre ruins are taken into consideration. The walls are all built on curved lines, and average a width of 4 to 5 ft. at the base, and 3 ft. at present reduced summits at 8 ft. above the ground. All the walls are built upon the granite rock formation, and there is comparatively very little soil on the floors, and most of this is black vegetable mould. Fortunately these ruins have not been subjected to the filling-in operations of the very old Kafir peoples as have so very many ancient ruins in Rhodesia. The absence of sufficient soil for the growth of large trees has no doubt saved the walls from more serious dilapidation. The walls are white with lichen, this being a feature in all the ruins along the Motelekwe Valley, which, seen from Zimbabwe, is usually filled with mist-fogs.
The main entrance evidently is the one on the south-west side of the building, for here is a long narrow passage leading from the interior, the passage running parallel to the south main wall forming an easily defended approach. The ruins have only two entrances—the main entrance and an angular entrance on the north side without portcullis grooves. This latter entrance leads into an outer enclosure only, and is protected on the inside by what may be described as a “sentry-box.” This is a curved wall 7 ft. long and 5 ft. high, enclosing a small area large enough to hold two or three men, and its entrance opens on to the inside of the entrance in the main wall. There are several of these “sentry-boxes” at Zimbabwe occupying exactly similar positions near entrances.
The interior of the building contains at least four enclosures and two long passages, and these may be described as follows:—
No. 1 Enclosure, which is on the north-east side of the ruins, is 22 ft. from east to west, and 13 ft. 6 in. from north to south. The floor is formation rock covered over (1903) with a few inches’ depth of vegetable mould. The main wall, which forms its north and east sides, is 6 ft. high throughout, the wall on the west is 8 ft. high, and the curved walls which divide this enclosure from No. 2 Enclosure average 6 ft. and 7 ft. in height, except at the entrance to No. 2 Enclosure, where the height on either side is reduced to 5 ft.
