The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-08


toned in the Bible-A Wonderful
Temple Bearing Decorations in Vogue
5000 Years Before Christ-Its Design
and It's Relics, that Throw Strong
Light on the Origin and Life of Their
Makers.
R. N. Hall, F.R.G.S., an co-author
of FThe Ancient Ruins of Rhodesla,
writing ON that same subject IN the Hall
Mall Magazine, says:
The present writer has recently re-
turned to England from Southeast Afrl-
ca, after carrying on, for over two
years, exploration work at these remark
able ruins on behalf Of the government
of Rhodesia. The Investigations made
by him at Great Zimbabwe were the
natural complement OF previous WORK
he conducted during a period OF i've
years among other ancient monumental
ruins which are scattered SO profusely
over the whole country lying between
the Zambesi and Limpopo rivers.
This region teens with suggestions of
deepest mystery and awe, which hover
over some ANCIENT people. who, It is now
believed, toiled extensively for gold
some 5000 years ago.
Rhodesia undoubtedly possesses an
cient gold mines, but it also can show
the buried ancient city and the lighter
skinner native race with Jewish charac-
teristics outlined in "She.' Great
Zimba bwe is the buried city, and the
Makalanga (the people Of the SUM- are
these possess distinctly Jewish traits
The Aeropolis ruins with their caves
and cliff passages on Zimbabwe provide
the scenes of the last period Of exist
ence Of "She who must be obeyed.'
This conclusion passes current thruout
South Africa, where Rider Haggard
himself resided for a considerable num-
Der Of years.
Associated with the large number Of
ancient ruins of major Importance scat
tered thruout southern Rhodesia are
the most extensive gold workings known
to the world. From these ancient mines
1t is believed, on a conservative esti-
mate, that at least 975, 100000 sterling
worth Of gold was extracted in ancient
times. Other gold workings in Rhode
character, are believed to = have been
mined by Arab colonists Of medieval
! times, also by Portuguese Of between
1910 and 1850, also by still later Arabs,
and finally by native people. The Great
ZimbabWe is situated in Mashonaland
at 25O miles west Of the ancient port Of
pears to have been the metropolitan cen.
ter Of the ancient goldseekers, as it fur
nishes the most perfect and the most ex-
tensive monuments of prehistoric age to
be found anywhere in southeast Africa.
The character of it's titanic walls and
Of the prehistoric relics found on it's
lowest floors testify it's supreme i'm
portance IN the minds of the ancient
architects and builders. Moreover, ex-
tending from the coast along the sabi,
which Is the natural approach to the
ancient hinterland, is chain Of forts.
some only recently discovered by the
writer, and these practically connect
16l 1n with the coast Of Sofala.
imbabwe farther inland in different d.
recttons to the various gold-quartz areas
| Of the country.
Since the elephant hunters and ivory
trad ers from Natal traversed Mashona-
lane, in the sixties, and returned with
stories of these ruins and Of the pecu-
speculation as to their origin had been
rife. 1t was not until the late Theo-
dore Bent visited Zimbabwe in 1891
that any reliable information concern
ing both ruins and Makalanga could
be obtained. Mr.. Bent was of opinion
that Great zimbabw,ee. was in ancient
lie worship, that this city was once the
capital of a colony of Saba, which was
situated in southern Arabia.
Saba can ow be shown by Assirian
and Egyptian. documents, by ancient
historians and the scriptures, to have
been a wcorld1-power, situate in Yemen
IN SGsth ID Arabia 7oa The empire Of sabs
King solomon, and subsequently to to- that
period. It was a rival of Egypt in
power and world-infiuence, in arts, cul-
ture, literature and civilization, and
provided the basis Of the Phenician
alphabet, which is the mother of all
our European systems. Saba enjoyed
ton Of the Indian ocean and it's coasts.
according to the scriptures and ancient
Grecian and Roman historians, Saba
was the gold-purveyor Of the then
known world. Marib was the capital Of
Saba, and was the residence of Bilkis
or Balkls, the Sabean queen who Jour
neyed, overland to Jerusalem and pre-
value) Of gold for the decoration of
King Solomon Is temple.
To reach the buried city, one travels
! by rail from Bulawayo to Gwelo, and
| then on, also by rail- to Selukwe. From
Selukwe a mail COACH runs twice a
| week to Victoria, a distance of eighty
miles; and at Victoria a Cape cart can
Zimbabwe,, further distance of sew
enteen miles. So extensive are the
remains of the buried city that a day
is insufficient to enables one to inspect
the ruins. On the north rise the pre-
cipitous cliff TANKS Of Zimbabwe hill
on which can be seen the massive walls
of the Acropolis ruins, which frown
down upon the valley below. These
ruins are mainly Of huge fortified.
tion, and inclose the eastern and west.
ern temples.
On the way to the great eliptica]
tice warning visitors against prospect
naments, and destroying walls, under
penalty Of heavy fine and imprison.
ment. '..
All who visit the temple confess to
experiencing an overwhelming and OBJ.
pressive sense Of awe and reverence
One feels it impossible to speak loudly
or to laugh within it's precincts. Rev,
erence Of the hoary age of this build.
ing seizes one, for accredited archeolo,
gists give the age of the older portions
of this structure as at least 1000 wears
before the birth of Christ. ~
The striking characteristics Of the
architecture of the temple may thus
briefly be stated. The walls are of
dry masonry, no mortar or cement be-
ing employed in their construction, the
the ancients extensively used a very
finely made granite cement for floor
ings, steps and dados. The walls arc
built of granite blocks of size slight
ly larger than an ordinary brick.
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