The Khami ruins in Zimbabwe

Many people know about Great Zimbabwe, the ancient city which gave its name to the country in which it is situated, but not so many have heard of Khami, which is just as remarkable in many ways.

The ruins of Khami are 23 km north-west of Bulawayo, the second largest city of Zimbabwe. Khami grew between 1450 and 1650 after the abandonment of Great Zimbabwe, some 250 kms to the south-east, and was the capital of the Torwa Dynasty for 200 years. There is evidence of occupation in the area from much earlier than 1450, including signs that the people were in contact with traders who visited from the coastal regions hundreds of miles to the east.

Like Great Zimbabwe, Khami comprised a stone-built complex of buildings and walls, with added features that derived from local building customs. The standard building method at Khami was to raise mounds, on which huts would be erected, and to surround the mounds with strong retaining walls, some of which produced a series of terraces. This differs from the Great Zimbabwe pattern, where the walls were free-standing and served to divide the area into compounds. The Khami walls were also more highly decorated than those at Great Zimbabwe, but it is clear that there were strong cultural connections between the two cities in terms of building techniques.

The most impressive walls surrounded the highest hill, which overlooked the river. This would have been the site of the king’s residence and those of his close circle. There are several hut platforms, terraces, and well-preserved stairways. The royal hut was reached by way of a covered passage. In 1947 a secret chamber was found that contained a number of royal possessions including axes, spears and items of carved ivory.

(Photo by Amanda Anderson)

There have been many other interesting finds on the site, including what appears to be a Christian stone cross, possibly left by a Portuguese missionary, and boards for the game of Tsoro. A balanced boulder makes a sound like a gong when it is struck, and this could have been used to sound warnings or summon the people to gather together. Items discovered at Khami may be seen in the onsite museum and in Bulawayo’s Natural History Museum.

The whole site is about 40 hectares in size, and some 7,000 people may have lived in or near the city at its height. The people would have been farmers who both kept animals and grew crops. A great deal of trade was conducted, with metals including copper and gold being exchanged for goods brought by merchants from the coast. Some of these goods came from as far away as China and Spain.

It would appear that Khami was abandoned at the time of a civil war in the 1640s, during which a Torwa king was overthrown and appealed for help from the Portuguese, who sent an army to his aid. However, during the conflict the city’s mud and thatch huts were destroyed by fire and the Torwa were forced to leave Khami for good. The Rozwi kings who succeeded the Torwa established their bases at Naletale and Danamombe (formerly Dhlo Dhlo) near modern Gweru.

The Khami ruins are a UN World Heritage Site, and are therefore recognised as being of great archaeological importance. Although they have not received the same attention as those of Great Zimbabwe, anyone who is interested in the pre-colonial history of southern Africa should make a point of visiting them if they get the chance.