In this episode of pplpod, we explore the rise, fall, and rediscovery of Great Zimbabwe, the massive pre-colonial stone city built by the ancestors of the Shona people between the 11th and 15th centuries.

At its height, Great Zimbabwe was one of the largest urban centers in Southern Africa, home to thousands of people and connected to global trade networks stretching from East Africa to Persia, Arabia, India, and Ming Dynasty China. The city’s towering granite walls, some over 11 meters high and built entirely without mortar, remain one of the greatest engineering achievements in African history.

This episode examines:

• How Great Zimbabwe’s builders mastered dry-stone architecture
• The city’s role in the global gold and ivory trade
• The sacred symbolism of the Zimbabwe Birds
• The environmental and econom ...