Mapungubwe Flashcards
which province is the reserve of Mapungubwe found?
Limpopo
What does Mapungubwe mean?
The place of jackals.
Who where the first people to live in this area?
The ancestors of the Shana and Venda people
Who did they trade with?
China, India, Egypt.
When was this lost kingdom discovered and by whom?
in early 1930’s by a farmer
What did the archaeologists first find?
remains of large traditional african houses.
what is definition of evidence
it is the clues and information used to work out what things were like and how things happened in the past.
What is definition of physical evidence
treasure found in form of objects & buildings that have been buried in the ground
What is the estimated year given for when the first houses where built?
1000AD
What is the estimated year given when these people left the area?
1275AD
Why did some of the people live on top of the hill?
it is believed by their ancestors that the chief’s house should be a the top of the hill because they are the closest to the spirits of the communities ancestors.
How did Mapungubwes rulers grow rich & powerful?
they farmed cattle, sheep & goats which supplied meat and hides. they hunted wild animals for skins and elephant for ivory for trading. They also mined for gold.
how did they trade their goods?
The king would send them down the Limpopo river which connected with the East coast where they did their trading.
give some examples of treaures that were found?
A gold rhino (black rhino was the symbol of power) Ivory bangles imported glass beads
what is a clue that they traded with India and China?
Glass beads found were the type made in India. The porcelain found was of Chinese origin.
