Khami
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Location | Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe |
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Coordinates | 20°09′30″S 28°22′36″E / 20.15833°S 28.37667°E |
Type | Settlement |
History | |
Periods | Late Iron Age |
Cultures | Kingdom of Butua |
Official name | Khami Ruins National Monument |
Criteria | Cultural: (iii), (iv) |
Reference | 365 |
Inscription | 1986 (10th Session) |
Khami (also written as Khame, Kame, or Kami) is a ruined city located 22 kilometres (14 mi) west of Bulawayo, in Zimbabwe. It was once the capital of the Kingdom of Butua of the Torwa dynasty. It is now a national monument and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.[1]
Context
The settlement that we see today was a development of the
History
Khami was the capital of the
The site of Khami reveals seven built-up areas occupied by the royal family with open areas in the valley occupied by the commoners. The complex comprises circular, sometimes terraced, artificial platforms encased by dry stone walls. The beautifully decorated 6m-high by 68m-long retaining wall of the precipice platform bears a checkerboard design along its entire length. The platforms, rising 2–7m above the ground, carried dhaka (clay) huts and courtyards where those of lower status lived. The remnants of cattle kraals and huts for ordinary people can be seen below the Hill Complex. The ruins include a royal enclosure or Hill Complex, which had to be on higher ground than other buildings, stone walls and hut platforms, and also a Christian cross believed to have been placed by a contemporary missionary. There are also ruins on the eastern side of the Khami River. Other platforms are believed to have been cattle kraals and a retaining wall with a chequered pattern. Recent excavations (2000–2006) have revealed that the walls of the western parts of the Hill Complex were all decorated in chequer, herringbone, cord, as well as variegated stone blocks.
Conservation
In the early 2000s, the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe launched a conservation and recording programme whose purpose was to focus on preserving and restoring the stone walls. To date,the notable achievements are the stabilization and restoration of terrace walls on the Main, Cross and North platforms.[1]Between 2000 and 2007, volunteers from the C.H.A.M association participated in a restoration effort.[2]
Gallery
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Outer wall of Khami
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Steps leading into Khami
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Passageway in Khami
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Ruins of Khami
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7974-9764-1.
- ^ "Association CHAM | Qui sommes-nous ?". cham-asso (in French). Retrieved 16 April 2024.
External links
- Pictures of Khami Ruins,Bulawayo Zimbabwe
- Trail Guide of Khami Ruins,Bulawayo Zimbabwe
- Khami Ruins National Monument – UNESCO World Heritage Centre