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12 Amazing Facts About Tanzania’s Lost City Of Kilwa Kisiwani

12 Amazing Facts About Tanzania’s Lost City Of Kilwa Kisiwani

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By the turn of the 2oth century, Kilwa Kisiwani was a lost city, completely uninhabited with little known about the area’s history prior to Portuguese and European colonization. In the 1950s, excavated artifacts proved a long line of dynasties had existed here dating back to the 1oth century. The city is today a UNESCO world heritage site. Here are 12 amazing facts about Tanzania’s lost city of Kilwa Kisiwani.

Sources: TheCultureTrip.com, Archaeology.org, Unesco.org

Wikimedia.org
Wikimedia.org

A Persian prince once ruled here

A Persian prince named Ibn al-Hassan founded the island city just off the Tanzanian coast in the 1oth century, after fleeing Persia during an inheritance battle with his siblings. Al-Hassan’s family ruled the island until the 1200s. At one point, the Kilwa Sultanate controlled the entire length of the Swahili Coast, which consists of littoral Kenya, Tanzania and Northern Mozambique. The sultanate is thought to also once have controlled outposts on Madagascar.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

 

The island was sold for cloth

Allegedly, al-Hassan bought the island from a Persian king, and paid for it with an immense amount of cloth. The king apparently changed his mind and wanted the island back, but al-Hassan had burned the bridge that connected Kilwa Kisiwani to the mainland.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

It’s the site of one of the region’s oldest mosques

The Great Mosque, which sits on Kilwa Kisiwani, is one of the oldest in the region, and was built in the 1100s. At one time, the mosque contained one of the largest domes in East Africa.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

It was a major trading city

Because of its connections with the Arabian Peninsula, as well as India and China, Kilwa Kisiwani was one of the most powerful trading cities along the Swahili Coast. The city’s main exports were spices, tortoise shell, coconut oil, ivory, gum, gold and slaves.

Wikimedia.org
Wikimedia.org

Kilwa Kisiwani once controled part of Mozambique’s gold trade

At one point, Kilwa Kisiwani seized control of the gold trade in Sofala, on the Sofala Bank in Sofala Province of Mozambique.

Wikimedia.org
Wikimedia.org

 

Kilwa Kisiwani minted its own coins

For around 500 years, between 1100 and 1600, Kilwa Kisiwani minted its own coins. The coins have been found in Zimbabwe, 2800 kilometers, or 1740 miles away.

Wikimedia.org
Wikimedia.org

 

The elite purchased ceramics from the Arabian Peninsula and China

Archaeologists have found ceramic vessels in Kilwa Kisiwani, but strictly in the city. None were found in rural areas, suggesting these vessels were something the elite purchased to display their status.

Wikimedia.org
Wikimedia.org

 

Houses were made with coral rag

Many of the houses found were made from coral rag, a type of limestone made of ancient coral reef material. Mention of these gorgeous coral structures have appeared in ancient diaries of explorers.

Africanhistory.about.com
Africanhistory.about.com

You can see the prison from afar

A distinctive feature of the island, the prison on Kilwa Kisiwani — built by the Portuguese in the 15th century — can be seen from far away.

Cntraveller.com
Cntraveller.com

A pre-European building

Kilwa Kisiwani’s sultan, Sultan al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman, built an enormous palace known as Husuni Kubwa. This was one of the largest pre-European buildings in equatorial Africa at the time. Today the palace can only be reached via a worn-out staircase that winds up from the water.

Tanzaniazalendo.org
Tanzaniazalendo.org

One of largest pre-colonial houses in Sub-Sahara

A building called the “Queen’s House” sits about a mile away from most of the ruins, on top of a cliff. The house contains an 18-domed mosque, an octagonal swimming pool, several courtyards and more than 100 rooms. It was one of the largest pre-colonial houses in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Cnn.com
Cnn.com

 

The area is no longer endangered

Thanks to extensive work done by conservation organizations, the city was recently removed from UNESCO’s endangered list.