The Indianapolis journal., 1896-08-30
RHODEsIA Is OPHIR.
At Least Such Is the Conclusion of
an English ArchacOlogist.

London News.
The Monomotapa," which forms the sub
ject of Mr.. A. Wihnot's new book is the
modern Rhocesia. The work. TO which Mr.
Rider Haggard contributes n short intro
duction. has nothing 10 do with the Char
tered Company. 1t ends with 1880. when
the last Dominican monk left Monomotapa.
and is entirely concerned with the identi-
tication of the land with the fOphir" OF
Solomon and the ancient Phoenicians. 1t
contains the results of Mr.. Wilmot's re-
searches into such literary references to
Monomotapa as are to be found in the Nati-
can and Lisbon libraries.
1t is likely that Rhodesa will become a
fruitful field for the archaeological digger.
well as for the digger after gold. The
archaeologist Mir. Bent. who in 1891, after
the occupation of Mashonaland, was one OF
the first modern Europeans TO examine
the wonderful ruins of Zimbabwe. has
proved Ito the satisfaction of most author
ities) that these buildings were either by
the Phoenicians or by people (Arabian)
whose worship was the same as theirs
The most probable, though not the absolute.
conclusion is held to be that Monomotapa
was not only Phoenician. but also that it
was the Ophir mentioned in the Old Tes-
lament.
Mr. Wilmot has been able to prove that
the Portuguese settlers OF the sixteenth
century had visited Zimbabwe and that
the place was then and for generations
after occupied by the King of Monomo-
tapa. In the seventeenth century the ma
tive population, from which the Mashonas
OF to-day are decended. was overrun by a
savage, fierce race. which is now repre-
sented by the Matabele and other Zulu
tribes The new invaders are described
as the Huns of South Africa. Portuguese
civilization, such ii was, disappeared
before them. and the very name of the
old native kingdom was forgotten until the
period of British expansion and exploration
began.
The architecture and decoration Of the
Zimbabwe ruins are the same as those OF
Phoe nician remains in the Mediterranean
islands and Asia Minor. Crucibles and
other implements. ingots specimens OF art
work in gold, discovered at Zimbabwe, in
dicate that the place was Phoenician gold
mining settlement many centuries before
the Christian era. 1t also seems clear that
the cruel. hideous Baal worship OF the
Phoenicians was established there
From the Phoenician age 10 the Portu-
But it is certain that Monomotapa was at
all times regarded by Eastern nations as
land rich in gold. 1t is a dubious COM
pliment to the English to call them as Mr.
Wilmot does. the modern Phoenicians.
Their ancient namesakes were cruel a
people as any known IN history. The old
Phoenicians were great colonizers and ex-
plorers, they were the chief traders and
carriers of the ancient world and the
most adventurous seamen. but there we
hope. ends the resemblance between the
English and the traders of Tyre. Sidon and
Carthage.
Solomons Ophir. if such il really was.
became one of the fourteen missionary
provinces of the sixteenth century papacy
Under the Dominicans who succeeded the
Jesuits In Ophir; the country, was named
of the martyrdom OF the Jesuit Father
Silveira in 1861, as related by Mr. Wilnot.
bears in some respects a striking likeness
to the Platonic description of Socrates s
death. The volume contains some illustra-
tions of Phoenician remains and a COPY of
a fine map in the Vatican library. In this
map, first published in 1923. Monomotapa is
well filled up, probably from details sup
Roman mSSiOna