Interactions:
The Great Zimbabwe society is believed to have become increasingly influential during the 11th Century. The Swahili, the Portuguese and Arabs who were sailing down the Mozambique coast began trading porcelain, cloth and glass with the Great Zimbabwe people in return for gold and ivory. As the Great Zimbabwe people flourished, they built an empire whose huge stone buildings which would eventually spread over 200 square miles (500 km2). It is thought that as many as 18,000 people lived here during its heyday.
Great Zimbabwe was also well positioned to control trade routes to the Indian Ocean coast for the export of gold and other resources of the southern plateau. Long distance trade contacts were therefore made through the Indian Ocean Coast with Asia and the Middle East, and also land routes were opened to enter ports on the East African coast. Arab and Swahili merchants plied these routes with merchandise such as glass beads, cloth, Chinese celadon and blue-on-white porcelain vessels. More often the Swahili relied on local African middlemen known as vashambadzi who took their goods far into the interior.These goods were bartered with gold, ivory and animal skins.The state exacted tribute for goods sold or passing through its territory. Datable imported goods are important in archaeological studies in determining the antiquity of this monument by cross dating. A copper coin minted at Kilwa o the coast of Tanzania in 14th Century was also found at these ancient Zimbabwe ruins. |