Question

Critically analyse the extent of development of african civilization in the iron age states of zimbabwe with reference to the afrocentric and eurocentric views

Answer 1

Answer:

Great Zimbabwe is a ruined city in the south-eastern hills of Zimbabwe near Lake Mutirikwe and the town of Masvingo. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe during the country's Late Iron Age. Construction on the city began in the 11th century and continued until it was abandoned in the 15th century.[1][2] The edifices were erected by the ancestral Shona.[2] The stone city spans an area of 7.22 square kilometres (1,780 acres) which, at its peak, could have housed up to 18,000 people. It is recognised as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

Great Zimbabwe

Great-Zimbabwe-2.jpg

Great Zimbabwe: Tower in the Great Enclosure.

Great Zimbabwe is located in ZimbabweGreat Zimbabwe

Shown within Zimbabwe

Location

Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe

Coordinates

20°16′S 30°56′E

Type

Settlement

Part of

Kingdom of Zimbabwe

Area

7.22 square kilometres (1,780 acres)

History

Founded

11th century

Abandoned

15th century

Periods

Late Iron Age

Cultures

Kingdom of Zimbabwe

Site notes

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Official name

Great Zimbabwe National Monument

Criteria

Cultural: i, iii, vi

Reference

364

Inscription

1986 (10th session)

Great Zimbabwe is believed to have served as a royal palace for the local monarch. As such, it would have been used as the seat of political power. Among the edifice's most prominent features were its walls, some of which were over five metres high. They were constructed without mortar (dry stone). Eventually, the city was abandoned and fell into ruin.

The earliest known written mention of the Great Zimbabwe ruins was in 1531 by Vicente Pegado, captain of the Portuguese garrison of Sofala, on the coast of modern-day Mozambique, who recorded it as Symbaoe. The first confirmed visits by Europeans were in the late 19th century, with investigations of the site starting in 1871.[3] Later, studies of the monument were controversial in the archaeological world, with political pressure being put upon archaeologists by the government of Rhodesia to deny its construction by native African people.[4] Great Zimbabwe has since been adopted as a national monument by the Zimbabwean government, and the modern independent state was named after it. The word great distinguishes the site from the many hundreds of small ruins, now known as "zimbabwes", spread across the Zimbabwe Highveld.[5] There are 200 such sites in southern Africa, such as Bumbusi in Zimbabwe and Manyikeni in Mozambique, with monumental, mortarless walls; Great Zimbabwe is the largest of these.[6]

Name

Answer 2

The extent of development of African civilization in iron age state of Zimbabwe with reference to the afrocentric and eurocentric views are mentioned below:

- From britain and Germany the European travels to learn powerful African civilization of southern Africa interior.

- Here, construction of great Zimbabwe begins in 11th century and lasts upto 15th century.

- In 1890, a large portion of southern Africa was conquered by British imperialist and colonizer Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902) and foreigners build the monuments of great Zimbabwe.

- Southern and Northern Rhodesia were named as modern Zambia and Zimbabwe which came under control of British.

- The items proves that civilization is not build up by local Africans which are present in Great Zimbabwe complex.