Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape - Journey Into the Past
If you’re looking for an interesting cultural site, you’ll find Mapungubwe against South Africa’s northern border where it meets Zimbabwe and Botswana. This picturesque open landscape is advantageously situated at the point where the Limpopo and Shashe rivers meet. This means that the area enjoys ample supplies of water which enriches growth and supports an abundance of wildlife. More than this, however, the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape houses a rather significant treasure. A few hundred years ago, Mapungubwe was once the converging point of the largest kingdom in the sub-continent. Though it was abandoned by the 14th century, the remains of palace sites and settlements are virtually untouched providing invaluable insight into the lives and cultures of the ancient people who once called Mapungubwe home.
There are a number of reasons why UNESCO has declared the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape a World Heritage Site. The first is that the landscape contains evidence of a cultural and social interchange in the country between AD900 and 1300. The second is that this once magnificent site documents the rapid growth and decline of a state which was, at its height, the largest kingdom in the lower half of Africa. Mapungubwe was also played a very important role in the history of the African sub-continent due to its position as a powerful trading state with Arabia, India. The remains also clearly document the impact of climate change on this early kingdom which became so vulnerable that they went into a sudden decline.
The Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape was discovered in 1932. Though many may have seen certain gold or ivory artifacts that have been uncovered here – such as the gold foil rhinoceros – not many knew much about the site. It was only recently brought to public attention when it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003. Interestingly enough, the site was kept secret during its early years because the discovery of intelligent, civilized black culture was contrary to the Apartheid dogma of inferior black intelligence and cultural development. It is now known to have been a sophisticated trading centre which traded gold and ivory with countries as far off as China, India and Egypt during the period from 1220 to 1300. The population at the civilization’s height was probably around 5000 and there is evidence that the population had a class-based society. Besides an assortment of palaces, villages and other dwellings, a number of gold, copper and exotic beads have been discovered. Early jewellery makes up some of the richest finds in the area and despite their simplicity these are often beautiful to behold.
The people who lived on the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape were an incredibly successful Iron Age nation. Eventually climate changes urged them to move north towards Zimbabwe but their legacy was left behind. An unforgettable journey into the past, Mapungubwe makes for an excellent tourist destination.
Recent Comments
No comment yet.
Add your own Comments
You need to be logged to comment this page.
Please Register if you don't have an account.
