Great Zimbabwe Flashcards
What was Great Zimbabwe?
Great Zimbabwe was home to a great African civilization
It was the centre of the Kingdom of _?
Mutapa
How do we know about Great Zimbabwe?
Almost everything we know is from the ruins and the items found there.
We also have some early accounts recorded by _?
Portuguese traders
Where does the name Zimbabwe come from and what does it mean?
It was taken from the Shona word “Imbabwe” which means “stone house”
Where can Great Zimbabwe be found?
In the south eastern hills of Zimbabwe between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers
How big an area do the ruins of Great Zimbabwe cover?
Exactly 722 hectares
How do we know that the people of Great Zimbabwe were skilled craftsmen and stone masons?
From the evidence left in the ruins of Great Zimbabwe
What is the oldest section of Great Zimbabwe?
The Hill Complex
Evidence shows that the first stones were laid here around _?
900 AD
What were the walls built from?
Naturally occurring granite blocks
What were the buildings made of in the valley ruins?
Clay and mud bricks
Where are the Valley Ruins located?
Between the Hill Complex and the Great Enclosure
Where is the Great Enclosure in relation to the Hill Complex?
South
How many stone blocks were used to build the wall around the Great Enclosure?
About 900 000
Who were believed to have lived in the Great Enclosure?
The royal family
Who did they trade with?
China and the Arab world
Name some things recovered in the ruins
Indian beads, Chinese porcelain and Arab glassware
What were they believed to have traded?
Ivory and gold
The people of Great Zimbabwe were the ancestors of _?
Shona tribesmen
Name some things grown by the farmers
Sorghum, millet and cowpeas. They also kept cattle, sheep and goats
How do we know what they farmed?
We have discovered remains of these crops, animal bones as well as hoes used for working their fields
How many people lived there?
Up to 20 000
Why do we not know what led to the downfall of Great Zimbabwe?
There are no records of it
