From the historian's notes

Great Zimbabwe, 1350

Zimbabwe · Sub-Saharan Africa · July 1350 · winter (austral, dry)

What it was medium

at its height, perhaps 10,000 to 18,000 people around the stone enclosuresa settlement from the 11th century, growing into a capital

That year

• The Great Enclosure's outer wall, dry stone without mortar, rises up to about 11 m the 14th century highthe largest ancient structure south of the Sahara
• Gold and ivory go to the coast at Sofala and on to Kilwa; Chinese celadon, Persian pottery and glass beads come back ongoing higha trade reaching across the Indian Ocean
• Wealth is counted in cattle ongoing highthe economy at home

Who held it medium

a Shona-speaking state centred on the siteunknownthe gold trade to the Swahili coast is at its peak, and the great walls are going up

Its name low

unknown for the period; 'Zimbabwe' is usually read as Shona for 'houses of stone'Written in none

The date, there low

unknownunknownThe sun and the seasons; the dry season is the time for building.

Money low

no moneyunknownunknown: gold, cattle and beads as wealth

Weather medium

July: the dry season, cold nights with occasional frost, warm days

Things

Objectssoapstone birds on carved pillars; gold wire and beads; copper ingots; glass beads from the coastFoodsorghum and millet porridge; beef; beerClothlocally spun cotton; bark clothGetting abouton footIn the aircattle; wood smoke on cold air; dry grass

What she'd hear

An early form of Shona; Swahili traders bring the coast's language.

Where she could stand

• the Great Enclosure — curving dry-stone walls with chevron patterns at the top
• the hill complex — walls built between the boulders on the granite hill
• the valley houses — round houses of daga, a hardened clay, with thatched roofs
• the cattle pens — herds brought in at evening

Researched for this card · confidence medium