Past: Great Zimbabwe (11th – 15th centuries CE)
Great Zimbabwe stood strong as a medieval stronghold along the East African coast. It dominated trade in the region from the 11th century to the 15th century. Its trade area is expansive; archaeologists found pottery from as far away as China and Persia and coins from Arabian nations in the ruins. However, by the 15th century, overpopulation and depleted resources led to the city’s abandonment. Great Zimbabwe is known today for its Great Enclosure, a 14th century stone wall 9.7 meters (roughly 32 feet) tall in some places. One of the most notable archaeological finds in Great Zimbabwe is the 9 meter (30 foot) tall conical stone tower in the Great Enclosure. There are no records of whether the tower was part of the royal residence or a symbolic grain storage tower, but it is one of Africa’s largest ancient structures still standing and the symbol of the long-abandoned city.