Palaces of Stone: Uncovering Ancient Southern African Kingdoms

Title: Palaces of Stone
Subtitle: Uncovering Ancient Southern African Kingdoms
Authors: Mike Main; Tom Huffman
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Imprint: Struik Travel & Heritage
Cape Town, South Africa 2021
ISBN 9781775846147 / ISBN 978-1-77-584614-7
Hardcover, 15 x 21 cm, 168 pages, throughout colour photographs, illustrations, maps

About: Palaces of Stone: Uncovering Ancient Southern African Kingdoms

Across the face of southern Africa are the remains of more than 560 remarkable stone palaces, once the abodes of kings. Some, such as Great Zimbabwe and Khami in Zimbabwe and Mapungubwe in South Africa, are famous world heritage sites, but the majority are unknown to the general public. Drawing on archaeological evidence, historical records and ethnographic data, the authors uncover the meaning of the ruins left behind by the region's first political states. Woven into the narrative are stories of powerful kingdoms; impressive feats of architecture; flourishing local economies; long-distance trade; and the rituals and beliefs that helped societies make sense of the world. Palaces of Stone: Uncovering Ancient Southern African Kingdoms spans the period AD 900 to 1850, and covers four countries -Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique, making it an accessible account of a fascinating chapter in the early history of southern Africa. Mike Main has spent over 40 years exploring Botswana and its neighbours. A management consultant, freelance writer and lay archaeologist, he lives in Gaborone, Botswana. Tom Huffman is Professor Emeritus of Archaeology at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He is a leading authority on precolonial farming societies in southern Africa and the author of multiple research papers and highly acclaimed books on the subject.

Content: Palaces of Stone: Uncovering Ancient Southern African Kingdoms

Introduction
Early beginnings at Schroda
The rise of K2 and Mapungubwe
The ritual of rainmaking
The demise of Mapungubwe
Great Zimbabwe in modern times
The growth of Great Zimbabwe
Symbolism and ritual in Zimbabwe Culture societies
Administration and trade in the Zimbabwe Culture period
The Torwa, Mutapa and Rozwi states
The end of an era
Appendix: List of sites to visit in Botswana, Zimbabwe
and South Africa
Glossary
Select bibliography
Photographic, map and site plan credits
Index