The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-21
ANCIENT CIVILIZATION IN AFRICA
The zinbabye Ruins.

| Inc ZinbaDye Ruins.
From the ST James Gazette.
We gave a few days ago some description
of the ruins of Zinbabye, an ancient city in
Mashonaland, which was visited many years
ago by the German traveller, Mauch, and
not seen again by Europeans until it WIS
visited last August by some members Of the
British South Africa Company's pioneer
force, now encanped at Mount Hampden,
Mashonalend. A fuller DESCRIPTION of the
ruins than has hitherto been published is
furnished by the Times correspondent with
the pioneer force. He writes:
The ruins themselves lie at the base OF
striking and PERCEPTIONS granite "kopje,"
Inhabited by one of the Mashona tribes,
under chief called Moghabi. The first
feature to be noticed on approaching the
"kople" is the existence Of an outer wall,
about four feet high, running. apparently,
right round the entire "kopje," but, owing
to the high grass and dense jungle-like IN
dergrowth, it was found impossible to trace
this wall more than half mile. Next come
indications of a second and inner wall,
which 1t was almost impossible to trace for
any distance, for the same reasons. Then.
amid perfect labyrinth of remains of
small circular buIldings-a mighty maze,
but not. apparently, without some plan
southwest of the "kopje," and 800 yards
with the startling and main feature of these
remains-namely, a high wall of circular
shape, from thirty feet to thirty-five feet
high, forming a complete inclosure of an
area eighty yards in diameter. This wall
about ten feet in thickness at the base and
tapering to about seven feet or eight feet at
the top is built of small granite blocks
about twice the size Of ordinary brick,
beautifully hewn and dressed, laid in per-
fectly even course and put together with
out the use of single atom IF either mortar
or cement. This strange inclosure is en-
tered on its eastern side by what at first
sight appears to be mere gap in the wall,
which closer examination reveals TO be what
was once evidently a well-defined narrow
entrance, as shown clearly by the rounded-off
courses.
Inside the building itself (which is most
difficult to examine thoroughly, owing both
to the dense underground and presence of
quantities OF trees hundreds OF years old,
which conceal traces of, seemingly, series
of further circular of ellIptical wallis, and
close to the entrance and outer wall, here
thirty feet high stands a conical-shaped
tower, or turret, thirty-fve feet in high
and eighteen feet in diamater at the
base, built OF the same granite blocks and
consisting OF solid masonry. On the south
east front of the wall and twenty feet from
its base, runs double zigzag SCROLL one
third of the distances rouad, composed
of the same sized granite blocks
placed in diagonal positions On the
''kopje" and hillside itself, too, there are
numerous traces of remains of a similar
character, circular buildings wedged in
among boulders of rocks, walled terraces at
least nine in number; and, built ON the very
summit, an enormous mass of granite
blocks, to be used, apparently, as a fort,
and which, owing to the complete absence
n fnr in fh1r oil,
is in an almost perfect state of preserva-
ton. The view obtained from the summit
OF the "kopje" commands a panorama prob
ably unrivalled in South African scenery.
Its counterpart may, perhaps, be found in
what is generally regarded as the gem of
such scenery-the MARCO district in the
Transvaal.
What may be the origin, history, and in
tention of these curious ruins, and in partic-
ular of the large circular building with its
cone shaped tupret, is as far as the members
of the present exhibition are concerned,
perfect mystery. One thing is certain,
however, that the area covered by the
numerous walls and circular buildings points
clearly to tie existence at some time of a
large and semi-civilized population at
time when slave labor was procurable to an
unlimited extent. From the natives them
selves we can CLEAN no information what
ever respecting these ancient relics, under
whose very shadow they dwell; nor do they
appear TO entertain any super3ti-
tious reverence for them. They found
them there, as did their forefathers,
and there their interest in them and infor-
nation begin and end. 1t is satisfactory to
learn that efficient steps have been taken to
protect them both from the thoughtlessness
of the visitor and the Philistinism of any
prospector or adventurer. The Portuguese
have suggested that these ruins form por-
tions of the remains of the city and palace
of the Queen of Sheba, lin the land of
Ophir." Again, ancient Portuguese records
refer repeatedly to the people in this part of
Southeast Africa. whom they found to be es-
tablished long before their own arrival, and
representa- be working for gold in the far
interior. To these people they give the
name of Morisco {? Moors). The meaning
Of the word Zinbabye is held to be palace.