Ritual Space in the Zimbabwe Culture

Abstract

The social use of space is a worldwide phenomenon that can clarify the structures of various ancient societies. One of these, the Zimbabwe culture, embraces state-level societies dating to the Iron Age of Southern Africa (AD 1200–1820). In contrast to the preceding chiefdom-level societies, ritual space in the Zimbabwe culture centered on sacred leadership. Among other things, what had been rain-control hills in the wild bush became the locus for stone-walled palaces inside the capitals. In this sense, Zimbabwe people ‘domesticated’ the concept of God. Among other palace functions, the front provided the leader with ritual seclusion, while the back was reserved for national rituals, such as rainmaking. One year after death, royal leaders (both men and women) were buried in the palace or in rock shelters on special hills. Such hilltop burials began in the 13th century at Mapungubwe. According to 16th-century documents, both these grave sites and palaces had the same name: dzimbahwe in the Shona language (the residence, court, and grave of a leader). Inside the settlement, royal and commoner youths together attended a pre-marital school that inculcated societal norms. Evidence for such a school first appears in the Mapungubwe landscape. Overall, sacred leadership provided the ideological foundation for institutionalized social classes. Different settlement organizations made these social classes manifest: the Central Cattle Pattern for commoners and the elite Zimbabwe Pattern for royalty.