THE United States of America has offered Zimbabwe $475,000 to help restore the stone walls at Great Zimbabwe, a fortress that dates back to the 11th century and which gave the country its name.
The walls, which are 11 metres in height in some places, are being affected by a weed from the West Indies known as Lantana Camara.
Much of the funding will be used towards the eradication of the weed that now threatens the ancient wall, the US Embassy said in a statement.
The money will be drawn from the Ambassador’s Culture and Preservation Fund.
Regional director for the Great Zimbabwe Museum, Lovemore Nyandima, said, a system to detect any shifts in the walls will be in place by September and an expert in the control of the weed will make an assessment.
Great Zimbabwe is an ancient city in the southeastern hills of Zimbabwe near Lake Mutirikwe and the town of Masvingo. The monument is one of Zimbabwe’s tourist attractions and where the country derives its name form.
It was the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe during the country’s Late Iron Age. Construction on the monument by ancestors of the Shona people began in the 11th century and continued until the 14th century, spanning an area of 722 hectares (1,780 acres) which, at its peak, could have housed up to 18,000 people. It is recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Great Zimbabwe served as a royal palace for the Zimbabwean monarch and would have been used as the seat of political power. One of its most prominent features were the walls, some of which were over five metres high and which were constructed without mortar. Eventually the city was abandoned and fell into ruin, hence the name Great Zimbabwe Ruins
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