The ruins of Great Zimbabwe are perhaps one of the most famous archaeological sites in Africa, if not all of the world. Consisting of over 300 structures built between approximately 1100 to 1500 AD, these monuments have inspired awe for centuries.

Many theories exist as to why this ancient civilization was destroyed but what is certain is that they were among the first empires in sub-Saharan Africa to reach great heights before collapsing.

Over time, their demise became intertwined with that of another powerful kingdom to the south. Some theorize that this connection contributed to the downfall of both civilizations while others believe it had nothing to do with their eventual destruction.

Regardless, there’s no denying how impressive these fallen kingdoms where. Not only did they achieve such astounding feats of engineering but they also left behind an abundance of artifacts and treasures.

This article will go into more detail about some of the features of the site so that you can better understand them. For example, we will discuss how different building types relate to each other and whether or not they imply anything about the culture of the people who constructed them.

We will also look at some of the artifacts that have been found here and try to determine what kind of material they are (metallic, ceramic, etc.). This way, you will be able to tell if they are made of valuable materials or if they are worth very little money.

Then, the location was protected

In addition to protecting people looking for relics in the area, this also prevented looters from stealing anything valuable. Because there were no longer any active construction projects taking place in the region, people could not profit by breaking into these sites or stealing artifacts.

Greater numbers of guards meant more protection for the ruins. More eyes watching the site reduced chances of someone sneaking off with an artifact.

Furthermore, greater security helped prevent larger scale looting events. If fewer people are guarding the site, it is less likely that anyone will organize large groups of people to come together to take away important pieces of archaeological material.

The location was added to the World Heritage List

In 1980, UNESCO included this site in its list of Historic Sites. This is an honor that only 8% of all archaeological sites are able to achieve!

This includes having become a protected monument under international law. It also means that you cannot remove or destroy any part of it without permission from UNESCO.

The organization has very strict rules about what kind of development can be done around historic sites, so making renovations or additions to the ruins here will have to go through a long process before being permitted.

Luckily, most of these restrictions don’t apply to changing the location of the site itself, but there are still limits as to how far you can move it. More information can be found here.

The location was popularized

Many people visit this site to see how advanced ancient civilization was. They wonder about why these advanced buildings were left abandoned and decaying for hundreds of years before disappearing completely.

The reason is simple: they died out.

Architecture moves along certain trends that are repeated over and over throughout history. Some styles will remain popular and be built in large numbers, while others fall by the wayside. This doesn’t mean one style is better than another – it just means some get used more often!

Great Zimbabwe is an example of this. Although there have been many theories as to what their purpose was, no definitive answer has ever been found.

What we do know is that they were surrounded by very high walls made of stone and earth, with towers here and there. These walls almost always stand alone, without any other structures nearby.

This is because Great Zimbabwe lived and died during a time when tribes didn’t believe in building close together or within earshot of each other. For them, distance meant safety – if someone wanted to attack you, they would have to go through us first!

It also gave residents privacy – not everyone was able to afford housing next to others, so most of the population stayed in enclaves separated from outsiders.

These reasons make sense, but only up until now! In our modern world, they seem very impractical and even dangerous.

The location was important in African history

This is an incredible site that has left many mysteries for archaeologists to solve. Many theories have been put forward as to why this city collapsed, but one factor seems to remain constant – distance.

The ruins of Great Zimbabwe are located about 250 miles south-east of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. At its peak, around 1550 AD, it was home to over 10 000 people. But within just over two centuries it had lost most of its luster.

Why did such a powerful civilization suddenly collapse?

It’s possible that warfare or disease took too much of a toll, but more likely was economic catastrophe.

Archaeologists believe that the empire ran out of money due to a lack of gold deposits nearby. They also speculate that crop failure led to famine which only added to their downfall.

There were many kingdoms here

Archaeologists have discovered that Great Zimbi was not just one city, but rather a series of cities spread across several hundred acres in what is now southern Mozambique and northern Zimbabwe. These include sites such as Heveabantu (‘the place where there are white stones’) with its vast walls; Mwariama (meaning ‘place of red ochre’) which had heaps of this stone mined close to the surface; and Chibenya (possibly meaning ‘elephant graveyard’), so called because large amounts of ivory have been found buried under layers of sand near ancient elephant carcasses.

It has also been suggested that these names refer to the Banyoro people who lived in the area or their rulers. The site seems to have flourished around AD 1100-1400 before it was abandoned. Some believe it was destroyed by an invading army while others think it succumbed to internal strife. Either way, it left behind some of the most spectacular ruins anywhere in Africa.

Archaeologists cannot be sure why Great Zimbabwe was built or whether it was occupied for any length of time, but they do know how advanced the civilization was at the time. They had knowledge of metallurgy and ceramics and seem to have been trading routes connected to other regional powers.

Because it took them years to uncover all of Great Zimbabwe, we don’t know everything about it.

There was a trading center here

The site of one such building has been preserved and is now known as the King’s Palace. This structure, built around A.D. 1100-1200, consisted of three courtyards surrounded by large rooms with high ceilings.

The first courtyard had an altar dedicated to the sun god Iyengar. He was considered the creator or maker of everything in this world including people.

In the second court were two structures that served as royal living quarters. One was decorated with geometric patterns and depictions of animals. It belonged to either Shaka (the name of a powerful 18th century ruler) or his son Mwaliwa. Both men took part in military conquests and sponsored more conquest after conquering their own cities.

The third court contained another altar dedicated to the moon god Nditika. He was associated with healing, childbirth, and death. His priests performed rituals related to these things while making offerings and drinking liquids.

These three buildings make up what we know today as the ruins of the King's Palace. They show how important religion was to ancient great Zimbabwe builders.

There were many castles here

The vast ruins that we refer to as Great Zimbabwe are not only made up of just buildings, but they also include large tombs, pillars, and gates. All these features contribute to how archaeologists describe this site.

The term “castle” is usually used for what was once described as a fortified residence or palace. This doesn't quite fit in with the name “ruins” because there's no longer a structure you can identify as being designed to defend or contain.

However, other architectural elements such as towers, lookout points, and walls do exist and help tell the story about who lived where and why.

There are several theories about why Great Zombi V has its own tower. Some say it was so people could see out and watch for intruders, while others believe it was to keep enemies away by using its power as a beacon.

Whatever the reason, it's clear that the builders were very dedicated to their home.

There were many churches here

The ruins of this ancient city contain structures that served as temples, chapels, or houses for priests, ministers, or monks. Some were dedicated to only one god, while others had more varied deities they honored.

These buildings are referred to as “churches” because they often contained an altar where religious rituals took place. Many still do today!

Architecturally, there are three main types of church architecture in use throughout history. They are called Gothic, Romanesque, and Classical.

You will not find any true examples of either Gothic or Romanesque architecture at Great Zombi City, but you will see some classic examples of Classical architecture used here. These styles all have their roots in the Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations.

Gothic architecture was most prevalent from around 1200 to 1500 AD. It originated in Germany and France and is characterized by pointed arches, vertical lines, and steep roofs. This style influenced Renaissance art and later Neoclassical design. Famous landmarks built in this style include St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, London’s Houses of Parliament, and Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.

Romanesque architecture emerged about 1000 years earlier and is similar to Gothic in content and style, except it features rounded arch shapes. Examples of this style can be seen in the cathedrals of Europe and the United States.