Abstract
Historical and archaeological data attest that African civilization in antiquity had reached great heights of development. This is in sharp contrast to what it is today. No simple explanation is adequate to explain how great civilizations like those of Zimbabwe and Kush fell. Unlike ancient Near Eastern civilizations, not many written records or artifacts are available to reveal decisively the hidden past and identity of the people who dwelt in these places. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Great Zimbabwe, which means "Stone Dwelling," is a large area of stone buildings covering 60 acres of land. It is the largest of many similar ruins
scattered in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It dates from c. 800 C. E. although the site had been occupied before that. In the eleventh to the fifteenth century it was the center of trade, exchanging goods with countries such as China at the shores of the Indian Ocean. The Zimbabwe bird carved in soapstone and some copper coins have been excavated at the ruins. What is remarkable of the building skills is that the entire complex is still intact yet built without mortar.