The origin of the Great Zimbabwe ruins of which were found in the late nineteenth century in the heart of South Africa, still remains a mystery. Some Europeans believed that a stone fortress, one of the cities of the Queen of Sheba. According to rumors, the city had a fabulous wealth, it has even been suggested that it is biblical Ophir, which was delivered gold and jewels to king Solomon.

Discovered the ruins of a mysterious city in 1871 German traveler and researcher Karl Mauch seeking biblical Ofir. In the middle of savanna near granite rocks are stone walls enclosing an area of about a hundred acres. In the building has not been used for fastening stones solution, however the height of the walls up to 9.5 meters layout of the buildings looks perfect, stone walls naturally fit into the surrounding landscape to blend with nature. In the opinion of the discoverer of the stone city, the construction of such complex engineering structures could not afford the black inhabitants of Africa. In addition granite stones in the construction of the city was used wood, described by Mayhem as reddish and odorous, similar to the Lebanese cedar. It was later revealed that this is a very solid sandalwood.

Local tribe of Karang called fortress "mamburu", which means "house of the great women. According to the legend, once upon a time in the city of stone lived white people. European researchers, following Mayhem began to make explore the ancient city, recognized the version that built it, white people, who came from the North.

Archaeologist Theodore bent, who led the excavations found fragments of pottery, spindles, iron, bronze and copper spear heads, axes, hoes, as well as forms and crucibles for jewelry work. In his opinion, the city was built by the representatives of race Northern people, similar to the Egyptians or the Phoenicians, who came from Arabia. During the XX century, many archaeologists explored the ruins of the city. Unfortunately, some of them were not sufficiently qualified and barbarically treated discovered artifacts. Not all scientists adhered "paprikash" the theory of origin of the stone town. Anyway, found within the walls, the remains of houses from clay, built in the middle Ages, many specialists were recognized as the African to the smallest detail.

The Ruins Of Zimbabwe. The remains of the Elliptical building

About the origin of the name Zimbabwe there are several versions. One of them is that it owes its origin to the phrase "Zimba DZA mabwe"that the Bantu language means "house of stone", on the other - the expression " Zimba Voie", which translates as "esteemed house. In any case, obviously, we are talking about ancient stone building, the mystery of which over the last century excites the minds of archaeologists, historians and ethnographers.

Archaeological studies have shown that the material for stone walls were mined in the nearby granite rocks. Blocks of stone turned stone-masons in the huge Cuba. In the masonry stones fitted with millimeter accuracy, making unnecessary the use of fastening of mortar. Construction technology and methods of treatment of stones remain unsolved. The thickness of the walls varies from one hundred and twenty centimeters up to five meters and the height is almost twice the thickness. In places of joints no connecting blocks, walls adjoin each other perfectly, creating exceptionally rugged construction. The stones carefully polished and almost as smooth as a modern brick masonry. Engineers of construction is estimated as very durable and perfect from the technical point of view.

View of the construction testifies about the former greatness of the ancient city. The external wall, with a bird's eye look like a giant bracelet, has a length of about two hundred fifty meters and contains about five thousand cubic meters of hewn stone. Within the outer walls are several smaller internal walls and amazing conical tower shaped like a beehive. The purpose of the tower remains one of the mysteries of Great Zimbabwe. Indeed, the structure looks like a Royal residence, maybe because of this and the legend about the mysterious "great woman", who ruled the city (the Queen of Sheba). Inside the city walls could simultaneously be from 12 to 20 thousand people. The remains of houses from clay and gravel, ordinary African construction material, give the walls a reddish tint, that together with a gray tint smooth stones creates amazingly beautiful palette, combined with the surrounding landscape. The heyday of the Great Zimbabwe belongs to the XIV-XV centuries, the time of intensive development of trade relations. The city was on the crossroads of trade routes between the regions, rich in gold, and the ports of the coast, where merchants traded African gold and ivory on beads, clothes and other goods from Arabia, Europe and other regions. Stone town, among other things, probably, was also a big religious center, as evidenced by stone monoliths, which served, in all probability, altars. On the religious significance of the city indicate also found amazing figurines of birds, carved soapstone (steatite)that may have had symbolic or ritual significance.

By the middle of XV century the trade center moved to the North, local resources, obviously exhausted. Residents of Great Zimbabwe left the glorious city of stone, the ruins of which 400 years found Mouch.

So who built the Great Zimbabwe? Why its inhabitants left the city and where did they go? The answers to these questions have still not been received. Tribe LEMP and, in particular, their spiritual leader-Professor of Machiwa sure that the city was built by their ancestors. LEMP claim that people of the clan, who built the city, called themselves "tavakari mazim-Ethiopia", which means in their language, "built Zimbabwe". Some evidence in favor of such claims really are. For example, unlike other tribes group Bantu, Hornady their dead in a fetal position, dead LEMP pass to the other, stretched at full length, which is typical for the ancient inhabitants of Zimbabwe. In addition, the evidence in favor of the right LEMP is the fact that they for centuries kept in the hands of the trade routes of South Africa, and the well-being of Great Zimbabwe held for trading. So it seems quite likely that the ancestors of the LEMP were involved in trade relations between the Great Zimbabwe and the Indian ocean.

Not all researchers agree with Professor Machiwa. Much more attractive seem version of white-skinned aliens from the North or that city, where the rules of some great Queen, mentioned in the Bible.