Kingdom of Mapungubwe
The Kingdom of Mapungubwe (Maphungubgwe, pronounced "mah-POON-goob-weh"; c. 1075 – c. 1220) was a medieval state in South Africa located at the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers, south of Great Zimbabwe. The name is derived from either TjiKalanga and Tshivenda. The name might mean "Hill of Jackals" or "stone monuments". The kingdom was the first stage in a development that would culminate in the creation of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe in the 13th century, and with gold trading links to Rhapta and Kilwa Kisiwani on the African east coast. The Kingdom of Mapungubwe lasted about 140 years, and at its height the capital's population was about 5000 people.
Kingdom of Mapungubwe Mapungubwe | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c. 1075–c. 1220 | |||||||||
| Status | Kingdom | ||||||||
| Capital | Mapungubwe | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• K2 and Schroda culture moves to Mapungubwe Hill | c. 1075 | ||||||||
• Mapungubwe Hill abandoned and population dispersed | c. 1220 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | South Africa Zimbabwe Botswana | ||||||||
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
| Location | Limpopo, South Africa |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) |
| Reference | 1099bis |
| Inscription | 2003 (27th Session) |
| Extensions | 2014 |
| Area | 281.686602 km2 (69,606 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 1,048 km2 (259,000 acres) |
| Coordinates | 22°11′33″S 29°14′20″E |
Location of Kingdom of Mapungubwe in Limpopo Kingdom of Mapungubwe (South Africa) | |
This archaeological site can be attributed to the BuKalanga Kingdom, which comprised the Kalanga people from northeast Botswana and western/central southern Zimbabwe, the Nambiya south of the Zambezi Valley, and the Vha Venda in the northeast of South Africa. The Mapungubwe Collection of artefacts found at the archaeological site is housed in the Mapungubwe Museum in Pretoria.