Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-15
OLD GOLD MINES
WILL Be SOUGHT
Expedition May Solve Mys-
teries of Antiquity in Zim.
babWe Ruins.

WHARF did the Queen of Sheba &c
uuire ths 120 talents of gold she pre-
sented to Solomon?
Whence came the gold for King Solo,
mons drinking and eating vessels and
that which emhellished his throne Of
ivory?
From what place did Hiram, King of
Tyre, receive the vast treasure of gold
brought by water in his hundreds of
galleys?
"These mysteries of antiquity may be
cleared up through the work Of an Eng
lish expedition recently appointed to
examine the ruins of zimbabwe in
Mashonaland, Southern RhodeSia," says
bulletin from the National Geographic
Society.
Relics of Biblical Period.
mo connection between the ruins and
Sheba's Queen and Solomon and Hiram
has been found. But the gold mines of
Rhodesia were worked during an era
corresponding to the reigns of those
monarchs and many relics found in the
temples and other ruined buildings are
distinctly Asiatic.
THE ruins of Zimbabwe are the re-
mains of an ancient city, which could
have contained huge population. They
are located in the southeastern part of
South Rhodesia, about 200 miles inland
from the East African coast, and viSi-
tors go there from Victoria. the nearest
town other than native villages. Vic
toria is on railway line and zimbabwe
has an up-to-date hotel for tourists,
situated in the midst Of the ruins. Pic
turesque landscape features add to the
attraction of Zimbabwe as tourist re-
sort. Much of the glamour surrounding
the ruins has been dispelled by their
neat appearance. Debris has been
cleared away and immaculate sign
boards point the way to the glories OF
the past by announcing. TO your Right
or Follow the Arrow
ARTICLES Of Egyptian. Arabian and
Persian origin have been found in the
ruins. One relic is an Egyptian figure
with a hierogiyphic inscription, partly
defaced, but with the word Osiris still
decipherable. Osiris was the Egyptian
god of the dead. On the figure was the
cartouche of Thothmes III, q King of
Egypt who ruled about the year 1450
BIC. Five Soapstone birds were found
which Psychologists declare resemble
images Of birds sacred to Astaroth, a
Phoenician deity. The instruments for
making jeWelry, domestic utensils and
ornaments are different from those
used by the primitive African tribes be-
fore the advent, of the English.
Buildings Are Round.
''The buildings of Zimbabwe are
round. Few right angles have been
found. and no evidences are apparent
that any of the buildings were rooted.
Except In the construction of the floors
and steps no mortar or cement was used.
"The eIliptical temple, with an in
terrier circumference OF ITO feet, is the
largest and most intact of the buildings.
The so-called Acropolis ruins are sit
uated on Zimbabwe Hill and are mainly
fortifcations. The Eastern and Western
Temple are situated on the summit of
the Acropolis and 1t Is In these two
buildings that the most relics Of Asiatic
and Egyptian origin were found.
'Zimbabwe Is the largest OF some
hundreds Of stone ruins scattered over
Rhodesia, so the uncovering OF its his
tory may supply the history OF the en-
tire country.
Some explorers believe the Zimbabwe
ruins are not an ancient Asiatic center
of industry, but magnified kraals built
by Bantu natives about 400 years ago.
However, no explanation of the pres
ence of the Phoenician and Egyptian
relics has been made.
"Zimbabwe was the mythical dead
city of Sir Rider Haggard's She 1t
also figured in other novels. Allan
Quartermain' and King Solonon's
Mines The natives regard it with
superstitious fear. These facts have
helped make it city of mystery and
conjecture"