The Great Zimbabwe State

Origins, Economic System, Political

Organisation, Social Organisation and
Decline
 Origins of the State
- The Great Zimbabwe State is believed to have been
built by the Shona speaking people.
- Archaeological evidence and oral tradition were
used to reconstruct the history of the Great
Zimbabwe State.
- According to archaeological discovery the first Great
Zimbabwe walls were built around 1200AD.
- The people cracked granite stones to create blocks
that were used to construct the walls.

 Theories about the origins of the Great

Zimbabwe State
- A number of theories are given to explain the origins of the Great
Zimbabwe State
- One theory is that it began as a military centre. The rulers used military
strength to control surrounding areas and expanded.
- The second theory is that the state rose as religious centre as a religious
Hungwe shrine. The Hungwe soapstone birds found on the cite support this
theory. Also the conical tower and bowels discovered there.
- The third theory is that of inter-continental trade. This theory has it that
the Great Zimbabwe people controlled long distance trade in gold which
made them gain control of the surrounding area. This theory is supported
by foreign goods discovered by archaeologists like Chinese glasses, a piece
of coral, an iron spoon, an iron lamp holder and copper box.
- The last theory is that of Cattle keeping. It implies that the rulers of the
Great Zimbabwe gained control through accumulating wealth by keeping
cattle.

 The Purpose of the Great Enclosure

Walls
- The great enclosure walls could have been built for defence
purposes to withstand attacks from enemies.
- It is believed to have been residential for royalty to separate
them from the common people. Some scholars have come to
the conclusion that it housed the first wife of the king.
- Another conclusion is that it was built as a symbol of wealth
and power for the ruling class.
- The walls could have been built to provide shelter and privacy
to the ruling class.
- Another conclusion given is that it was built as evidence of the
unity and powerful leadership as it was built by people in the
state.



Th
 The Great Zimbabwe Economy
1. Livestock Keeping
- Livestock keeping was the major economic activity at
the Great Zimbabwe State.
- The king had the largest herd of cattle
- Cattle were a symbol of wealth and status. Socially
those who owned large herds of cattle were respected
and could marry many wives.
- Great Zimbabwe people obtained meat, milk and hides
from livestock keeping.
- Cattle was also used as an item for trade and to pay
bride price.

2. Cultivation
- They cultivated crops like finger millet and sorghum.
- Grain was mainly used to brew beer.
- Beer was used at religious rituals to appease ancestral
spirits.
- The grain was also used for making thick porridge
(sadza)
- In addition to using the grain as food, Great Zimbabwe
people used their grain for local trade and tribute
payment

3. Mining
- They mined gold, copper and iron.
- Iron was used to make tools such as hoes and spear
heads.
- Gold was used to make jewellery for the ruling class.
- It was also an item for trade externally with merchants
from the Eastern Coast who were either Arab-Swahili
traders or Portuguese traders.
- Copper was used to make jewellery too.
- Mining also promoted other economic activities like
cultivation and hunting

 Tribute Payment
1. List any six items that were used to pay tribute
in the Great Zimbabwe State.
2. Explain how tribute payment united people in
the Great Zimbabwe State.
3. What was the social importance of tribute
payment?

 Tribute Payment
- The people in the Great Zimbabwe State showed their loyalty to the
king through tribute payment.
- Vassal chiefs also showed their allegiance by paying tribute.
- It was paid yearly as a sign of loyalty
- People paid tribute according to what they produced. Different
items such as gold, iron tools, cloth, cattle, grain, animal skins, clay
pots, ivory etc
- Tribute was of political importance because it united the people and
was a check against rebellion for quick action to be taken in order to
keep the state intact.
- Socially it also united the people and distinguished the rulers from
ordinary people through dressing. Rulers dressed differently in items
they got through tribute from hunting and long distance trading.

 Trade
- The Great Zimbabwe people traded locally and
externally.
- Externally they traded with Arab-Swahili
merchants or Portuguese from the Eastern
Coast.
- They mainly traded gold and ivory for cloth,
chinaware and other foreign goods.

 Hunting
- The Great Zimbabwe people hunted to obtain
meat, ivory and hides.
- Animal skins of importance like the leopard,
cheetah and lion’s were items for tribute
payment.
- Ivory was used for long distance trade and
tribute payment.

 Friday 10 June 2016

The Political Organisation of the Great Zimbabwe State

1. Who was the highest person in the Great

Zimbabwe State?
2. What were the responsibilities of the king?
3. What was the role of the army or military
force.
4. Who helped the king to rule the state?
5. How were kings selected in the Great
Zimbabwe State?

 Political Organisation
- The king held the highest position in the state. He ruled with
the help of advisors most of whom came from the royal family.
- The outlying area around the Great Zimbabwe were under
chiefs who paid tribute to the king and helped in the
administration of the state.
- The state had an army that could be called for military duty
when need arose. The army defended the state from invaders
and conducted warfare to obtain cattle and to conquer and
incorporate chiefdoms.
- Kingship in the Great Zimbabwe State was hereditary. It was
inherited through the paternal line, thus the state was
patrilineal.

- Spirit mediums were of great importance in the political

organisation as they acted as advisors to the rulers and chose
the next king.
- The king was in charge of land distribution within the state.
- It is believed that the king resided in the hill complex while the
great enclosure was an administrative centre of the kingdom.
- Religion was important in the political system as it compelled
people to respect and obey their rulers since kings were
believed to be appointed by Mwari through spirit mediums.
- Tribute payment also made people loyal to their rulers and
united them

 The Social Organisation of the Great

Zimbabwe State
- The Great Zimbabwe social structure was according to social classes
based on production and gender.
- There were two major classes, the upper class and the lower class.
- In the upper class was the Royal family which occupied the highest
social status as they owned the largest number of cattle and most
goods gained through tribute and long distance trading.
- The dress of the royal family was different from that of ordinary
people. They also lived in different complexes separated from the
ordinary people. It is believed the king resided in the hill complex
with his spiritual advisors who occupied the Eastern complex. The
queen resided in the Great enclosure while noblemen had their
homes located on the Western and Southern slopes of the Great
Enclosure.
- Noblemen were in the Upper Class. They were the king’s blood
relatives like brothers and uncles.

- In the lower class people were classified according to

production or specialisation such as Blacksmith, hunters,
miners, mouse trappers etc.
- Settlements of tributary people were further from the Great
Zimbabwe settlement.
- The Great Zimbabwe people were patrilineal, they identified
with their father’s line of ancestors.
- They believed in a high God called Mwari whom they
worshipped through ancestral spirits. They communicated with
their God through Spirit mediums (mhondoro)
- They believed in life after death.
- They also believed that their rulers came from Mwari
appointed through Spirit mediums.

 The Decline of the Great Zimbabwe

State
The decline of the Great Zimbabwe State can be explained in
economic, political and social terms.
Economic Factors that led to the decline
- The environment stress which affected production in the state
especially exhaustion of gold and other minerals.
- Shortage of resources and their availability in other areas
faraway from the Great Zimbabwe State.
- Loss of control of important trading routes to other newly
formed states like the Mutapa State.
- The state experienced drought between 1420 and 1430 which
was followed by a locust plague which destroyed plants and
crops. The natural disasters were blamed on the king.

Political Factors
- Succession disputes which caused disunity in the state.
Princes would fight over who was to be the next king
following the death of the king. This divided people as
they would support different individuals.
- Civil wars in the Great Zimbabwe state weakened it and
contributed to its decline.
- Ambitious leaders who wanted to break away from the
state which led to formation of other states such as Torwa
and Mutapa.
- Rebellious tributary chiefs who stopped paying tribute
which weakened the state.

Social Factors
- It is believed that the Great Zimbabwe State
suffered outbreak of diseases due to poor
sanitary conditions which led to high death rate
and forced survivors to abandon the site .
- Due to unfavourable conditions at the Great
Zimbabwe State, people migrated in large
numbers to other areas better for settlement.

 Friday 17 June 2016

Test: The Great Zimbabwe State
1. List any six uses of cattle in the Great Zimbabwe State (6)
2 a) State and describe the three things that differentiated the upper
class from the lower class in the Great Zimbabwe State. (6)
b) Fill in gaps and underline your answers
The Great Zimbabwe people believed in a ___ ___ called Mwari whom
they worshipped through _____ ____. They communicated with their
God through _____ ____. They also believed in life after ___ and that
their rulers came from ____ appointed through ___ ____.
(6)
3. Explain how each of the following united people in the Great
Zimbabwe state
a) Tribute payment (2)
b) Religion (3)
c) Distribution of land (2)

 Droughts Scarcity of
resources

Succession
Competition disputes
for resources
The Great
Zimbabwe State

Disease and
superstition Shortage of
salt