Great Zimbabwe Flashcards

Flashcards about Great Zimbabwe

What does Great Zimbabwe mean?

Zi –Great Mba –House Bwe-of stones

Building Controversy

Who built Great Zimbabwe?

Time Controversy

When was Great Zimbabwe built?

Architectural Controversy

For what purpose was Great Zimbabwe constructed?

Eurocentric historians

Historians who are sympathetic towards whites, content that Great Zimbabwe monuments were built by whites.

Afrocentric historians

Historians who are sympathetic towards blacks, content that the monuments were built by blacks or locals.

SI Mudenge opinion (TIME THEORY)

Believed that the ruins were constructed in the 11th century and completed around 13th century and declined in the 15th century, constructors of Great Zimbabwe were Shonas since the prints of European can not be traced

Time Frame

Great Zimbabwe existed between 1100, 1300 1340 and 1350 AD.

Afrocentric writers

Argue that Great Zimbabwe was built by Africans but do not specify on who built it.

Eurocentric historians

Argue that Great Zimbabwe was built by Arabs, Persians, Chinese or Swahilis and that the stones structures at Great Zimbabwe were similar to the buildings found where these people came from .

King Solomon and Queen Sheba

Argue that the gold storage facilities that were found at Great Zimbabwe belonged to King Solomon and the ornaments and beads that were discovered belonged to Queen Sheba .

Ranger T.O

Argues that Africans cannot be builders of Great Zimbabwe and gives credit to “civilized countries” of Europe.

JT BENT AND R Hall

Concluded that the civilization was not by local Africans and that Great Zimbabwe was built by more civilized races.

Mukanya argues that Conical tower

Represented fertility and success and is shaped like male organ which represent fertility.

Mufuka K

Suggested that the tower was built for religious purpose.

conclusion

Earlier explanations by Eurocentric historians are losing ground to researches by recent historians who use ethnography, anthropology to explain the reasons for construction.