At the end of May 1997, the Royals were reburied, in a solemn and moving ceremony, in their original graves. Radio carbon dating proves beyond doubt that Thulamela was a viable community long before Jan Van Riebeeck landed at the Cape of Good Hope to establish a settlement for the Dutch East India Company in 1652. It is not known why Thulamela was vacated. Archaeologists and social anthropologists have advanced many theories about traditions surrounding the death of a ruler, an environmental disaster or war over the control of land and resources. Thulamela, in keeping with archaeological ethics worldwide, will be left untouched now for a hundred years.
More secrets probably lie beneath the sands of the walled city.
It will be the job of an archaeologist from a future generation to carry on with Miller's research. The archaeologist who worked on the Thulamela site for four years is Sidney Miller, a real character, who has an amazing amount of knowledge and wisdom about every subject under the sun. Sidney has degrees in both architecture and archaeology. He is an expert in his field and a true romantic, as this story will show. The first time I visited Thulamela was when I was asked to paint five airmail postage tags to commemorate the discovery of this fascinating ancient city.