Latest / Great Zimbabwe: The Lost African Kingdom of Stone — Fexingo History / Great Zimbabwe's Mud Walls: The Dhaka That Built an Empire
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about the stone walls of Great Zimbabwe, the dolerite blocks, the herringbone patterns, the Conical Tower. But there's a material that's just as important, and it's not stone at all. It's dhaka, the packed-earth mortar that held those stones together. Without it, those walls would've crumbled centuries ago. Luna: Dhaka — that's the clay mixture, right? Lucas: Exactly. In Shona, dhaka means a clay or mud mixture, and the vavaki, the builders, used it in two crucial ways. First, as a mortar to bind the granite blocks, filling the gaps so the walls stayed stable. But they also used it as a plaster, a smooth coat over the rough stone, especially inside the Hill Complex. It gave the walls a clean, finished look, and it helped with waterproofing. Luna: So the 'lost kingdom of stone' was actually held together by mud. Lucas: Ha, exactly. And that mud was no simple thing. The vavaki didn't just dig up dirt and slop it on. They selected specific soils, often rich in clay from termite mounds. Termite mounds have a particular clay content that's ideal for building — it's why people across Africa still use them today. They'd mix it with sand, and sometimes add cow dung or plant fibers to give it strength and flexibility. Then they'd let it cure before applying. Luna: So it's like an ancient recipe for concrete. Lucas: More or less. And this dhaka wasn't just structural. It was also a canvas. The vavaki would often smooth it over and then incise patterns — geometric designs, sometimes in chevrons or zigzags. You can see traces of these on surviving fragments. It must have made the walls glow, especially in the sunlight, a warm reddish-brown against the grey granite. Luna: Wouldn't the rain just wash it away? Lucas: Good question. They were clever about that. The walls were built with a slight batter, meaning they leaned inward, so rainwater would run off rather than soak in. And the dhaka was often applied in layers, each one pressed firmly and smoothed, creating a dense surface that shed water. Plus, in many places they added a low stone curb at the base to deflect splash erosion. It's a sophisticated understanding of hydrology. Luna: So the dhaka wasn't just an afterthought — it was part of the design. Lucas: Absolutely. And we can see the same technique in earlier settlements. The Leopard's Kopje culture, which predates Great Zimbabwe, used dhaka mortar in their stone walls. So the vavaki inherited a long tradition. But Great Zimbabwe took it to a new level, especially in the massive walls of the Great Enclosure, some of which stand over nine meters high. The sheer weight of stone needed a strong, flexible mortar to absorb the pressures of expansion and contraction. Luna: Nine meters — that's a lot of weight. Lucas: And the dhaka handled it. But here's a fascinating thing: when archaeologists excavated the base of the Great Enclosure wall, they found that the dhaka had been mixed with small stones and gravel, almost like a coarse concrete, to give it extra strength at the foundation. Higher up, the mixture was finer, maybe for smoother appearance. They adjusted the recipe depending on the structural need. Luna: That's like modern engineering. Lucas: Exactly. And it's one reason why the walls have survived for centuries. But dhaka also played a role beyond the walls. The vavaki used it to build floors, raised platforms inside the enclosures, and even to create drainage channels that directed water away from the buildings. You can still see some of these features on the Hill Complex. Luna: I had no idea dhaka was so versatile. Lucas: And it wasn't just at Great Zimbabwe. After the city's decline, the Shona kingdoms at Khami and Danamombe continued using dhaka mortar in their walls. So the technique persisted, even as the stone styles evolved. It's a testament to how effective that humble mud was. Luna: It's amazing what you can learn from just a bit of dirt. Lucas: That's the thing — the history of Great Zimbabwe is usually told through its stone, but the dhaka is what made it possible. And it's something that colonial archaeologists often overlooked. They were so focused on the 'mystery' of the stones that they dismissed the earth as just packing material. But as Gertrude Caton-Thompson noted in her 1929 excavation, the dhaka showed careful craftsmanship. She even commented on its durability. Luna: So it took a woman to appreciate the mud. Lucas: Ha, maybe. But to be fair, modern archaeologists like Peter Garlake also studied it closely. Garlake described how the vavaki would sometimes apply a fine coat of dhaka over the entire wall, like a plaster, which would then be polished. That would give the structure a smooth, almost glossy look. It must have been quite a sight, especially with the morning sun hitting it. Luna: I can picture it. So the walls weren't just grey stone — they had a warm, colorful surface. Lucas: Right. And that's something you don't see in the ruins today, because the dhaka has mostly eroded away. But if you look closely, you can still see patches of it clinging to the stones, especially in protected corners. It's like a ghost of the original structure. Luna: I'll have to look for that next time I see a photo. Lucas: You should. And speaking of looking closely, there's a debate among archaeologists about whether the dhaka was purely functional or also had a symbolic meaning. Some suggest that the color red, which the clay often had, was associated with the earth and with ancestral spirits. The Shona believe that the earth itself is sacred, and using it in construction might have been a way of honoring the ancestors. Luna: So the walls might have been prayers in a way. Lucas: Maybe. And that resonates with the religious role of Great Zimbabwe as a spiritual center, where the mhondoro, the ancestral spirits, were consulted. The dhaka, being of the earth, would have linked the built world to the spiritual world. It's a beautiful thought, though we can't be certain. Luna: It definitely adds a layer of meaning. Lucas: And that's why I love studying these details. It's not just about the stones and the gold, but about the people who lived there, their beliefs, their daily choices. The dhaka is a small thing, but it connects us to them. Luna: It makes you wonder what else we're missing. Lucas: Exactly. And speaking of what we might be missing, if you've been enjoying these deep dives into Great Zimbabwe's hidden corners, you might want to consider supporting the show. We're an independent podcast, and listener support is what keeps us ad-free and able to spend time on these less-told stories. If you'd like to help, you can buy us a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small gesture, but it goes a long way. Luna: That's a nice way to put it. I know our listeners appreciate the depth we go into. Lucas: Yeah, we love doing it. So back to the dhaka — there's one more thing I find fascinating. The vavaki didn't just use dhaka as a mortar; they also used it to create decorative elements. In some parts of the Hill Complex, they formed raised bands or ribs with the dhaka, perhaps to mimic the wooden beams that were used in earlier buildings. It's like they were using mud to imitate timber, a sort of architectural nostalgia. Luna: That's so cool — they were making faux wood out of mud. Lucas: Exactly. And that suggests that the vavaki were not just builders but artists, thinking about design and aesthetics. They could have just stacked stones, but they chose to add these flourishes. It tells us that Great Zimbabwe was a place of creativity and sophistication, not just brute strength. Luna: So when we think of Great Zimbabwe, we should picture not grey stone, but warm, patterned walls. Lucas: Yes. And that's the image I want to leave you with. The next time you see a photo of the ruins, look beyond the stone and imagine the dhaka that once covered it, the careful hands that applied it, and the culture that valued both function and beauty. That's the real story of Great Zimbabwe. Luna: Thanks, Lucas. That's a new way to see it. Lucas: You're welcome. And as always, there's so much more to explore. But that's for another episode.