Exploring Ancient Ruins of Great Zimbabwe

A group of granite monoliths and towering walls often referred to as “Africa’s greatest mystery” lie half-buried 200 miles southeast of this capital city.

What the Great Pyramids are to Egypt, Great Zimbabwe is to Zimbabwe--an enduring reminder of a civilization long gone.

Covering 1,780 acres, this national monument is three groups of stone structures: the Hill Complex, the Great Enclosure or Great House and the Valley Complex.

Evolving from a small settlement, Great Zimbabwe flourished under the Shona and Karanga civilizations between the 13th and 15th centuries.

It was ruled by a succession of kings whose influence spread throughout what is now Zimbabwe. Its growth was stimulated by the gold trade, and gold mining and smelting operations were among its main occupations.

On the edge of a 300-foot granite cliff, the Hill Complex, the oldest section, was the home of kings. The ridge is occupied by several small enclosures that were used for rituals.

The Great Zimbabwe soapstone birds, artistic symbols of the country’s past, were discovered in one ritual enclosure. The birds are now on Zimbabwe’s flag and currency and on the crest of the nation’s coat of arms.

In a valley at the southern foot of the hill is the Great Enclosure, the largest and best preserved of Great Zimbabwe’s ruins.

This was the home of the king’s wives. Built after the Hill Complex, its massive outer wall is 36 feet high and 800 feet in circumference. It contains nearly 60,000 cubic feet of stonework.

A chevron design along the top of the Great Enclosure’s wall is of the type found in other African countries. It is believed to represent the snake of fertility that promises a continuing line of descendants.

The Great Enclosure’s impressive conical tower was thought to have been built at the same time as the outer wall. It is also 36 feet high and has a circumference of 56 feet at its base.

The builders of Great Zimbabwe left no records of their activities, so the function of the tower remains open to conjecture.

Stretching across the valley are the remains of the dry-stone enclosures that make up the Valley Complex. Numerous relics have been uncovered there, and archeologists believe that dignitaries of the king’s court lived in the complex.

Before exploring the three ruins, visit the site museum, which contains a display of artifacts, including the Great Zimbabwe birds. The museum hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The entire national monument closes at 5 p.m.

Lodging and camping accommodations are available a short distance from the monument at Masvingo and at the Lake Kyle recreation park.

Eastward, near Bulawayo, stands the nation’s second-largest archeological find, the Khami ruins.

Chinese porcelain of the Wan-Li period (1573-1619), found in the stonework, is believed to have reached Khami with early Portuguese explorers or traders.

But it is Great Zimbabwe that remains the most spectacular of Southern Africa’s ancient ruins.

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Gametrackers International will fly you to Great Zimbabwe for $2,350, including three nights’ accommodations, two of them at Victoria Falls, meals, sightseeing and round-trip air fare. For another $950 Gametrackers will provide five days on safari in Botswana’s Okavango Delta west of Zimbabwe. To contact Gametrackers International, write to 1000 E. Broadway, Glendale, Calif. 91205, or call (213) 622-8130.

For more information on Zimbabwe, contact the Zimbabwe Tourist Office, 1270 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1905, New York 10020, or call toll-free (800) 621-2381.