Stone city that became a symbol of independence

摘要

The Shona word "Zimbabwe" denotes a large stone structure. According to legend, the stone city of Great Zimbabwe was the home of the Queen of Sheba.rnNow in ruins, this major trading centre was built by the Bantu civilisation of the Shona between the 11th and 15th centuries and covered nearly 80ha. It had an estimated 18,000 inhabitants and controlled most of internal south-east Africa, with artefacts found there from as far away as China.rnIt consisted of three areas: the hill complex, which was used as a temple and is the oldest part of the site dating back to 900AD; the valley complex, which was for the citizens; and the Great Enclosure or walled town, which was used by members of the elite classes.