  kilwa kisiwani is a community on an island off the coast of present-day tanzania in the african great lakes region. historically, it was the center of the kilwa sultanate, a medieval sultanate whose authority at its height stretched over the entire length of the swahili coast. songo mnara was a swahili stone town, dominated by the well-preserved remains of more than 40 large domestic room-blocks, five mosques, and numerous tombs. room blocks wrap around and enclose an open, central area of the site where tombs, a walled cemetery and a small mosque are located. compared to the 800-year occupation of nearby kilwa, the relatively short, 200-year occupation of songo mnara makes it an ideal candidate to examine household and public spaces from a discrete period in time. ==archaeology== kilwa kisiwani is an archaeological city-state site located along the swahili coast on the kilwa archipelago. it was occupied from at least the 8th century ad and became one of the most powerful settlements along the coast. the seasonal wind reversals would effect trade circulations. trade connections with the arabian peninsula as well as india and china influenced the growth and development of kilwa, and, though there are islamic words and customs that have been adapted into the culture, the origins are african. many of the swahili settlements showed complex layouts that reflected social relations between groups, however at kilwa, there are many questions still left unanswered about the town layout. the cemeteries were located on the edge of the town, which was common for the region, and large, open spaces were likely used for social gatherings. an important city for trade, around the 13th century there were increased fortifications and a greater flow of goods. for these to take place, there would need to be a form of political administration overseeing the city, controlling the movement of goods. much of the trade networks were with the [[arabia
14th-century_architecture African_art Archaeological_sites_in_Tanzania Buildings_and_structures_in_the_Lindi_Region Former_Portuguese_colonies Islands_of_Tanzania Palaces_in_Tanzania Swahili_city-states World_Heritage_Sites_in_Tanzania