In addition to beads of gold, copper, and brass, several other descriptions of these articles have recently been found at Zimbabwe.
The most important are two large beads similar to one found by Mr. Bent, and to which he attributed a great antiquity, also some broken pieces of similar beads. These are black, and are covered with flowers resembling primroses, and the flower is outlined by parallel white lines. The spaces between these lines are filled in with dark brown and violet glaze. These were all found at great depth. The local natives had not seen beads of this make before.
Beads of ivory and bone, also opaque glass beads—green and yellow, porcelain beads of sea-green colour and ribbed, have been found, the glass and porcelain beads being quite unknown to the present natives. A diamond-shaped calcedony bead,[36] some clay beads bearing chevron and herring-bone patterns, were found on the lower clay floors.
8. WHORLS
Pottery whorls of about 1½ in. to 3 in. in diameter have been found in hundreds. These were used by old natives for drawing the threads out of a mass of cotton. A stick was passed through the centre, and the bottom end was inserted in the cotton, while the upper part was twisted round quickly between the palms of the hand. Most whorls are cut out of fragments of native bowls and pots. Many old natives will explain how they were used. These clay whorls are found in old deserted villages and in Makalanga débris heaps. The native children search for them, and use them as tops. It is said they were once also employed in creating sparks for a fire, but to-day the natives twirl the sticks between their palms without using a whorl. A few soapstone whorls have been found, but not in any position suggesting antiquity. The Makalanga of but a generation past were adepts in carving soapstone.
9. GLASS POTTERY AND CHINA
These finds are so numerous and diversified that they require a special work for their proper treatment. Some two hundred specimens selected from the bulk have been collected, and these with particulars as to their locations and associated articles, with specimens found elsewhere in Rhodesia, will be laid before an expert for technical classification, when another avenue of research with regard to the ancient and mediæval occupiers of this country, both native and foreign, will certainly be opened up. Meantime a brief reference to the finds, or some of them, will here suffice.
Two portions of glass prisms, fragments of Venetian glass of dark green colour, being as thin and sometimes thinner than an ordinary watch-glass, have quite recently been found. Sections of two bowls of Arabian glass[37] covered with very fine and delicately engraved tracery of scroll-work of flowers and tendrils. The engraving is so minute that it can only be seen in a strong light.
Over and across the engraved designs are hand-painted flowers of primrose shape, each flower outlined in white, light blue, and pink, the buds being pink and white, and the stems a dark red. The shape of the bowls was that of the modern finger-glass. All these were discovered at considerable depths.
