CUS3701 Assignment 3
2024 (629218)- DUE 6
August 2024
[Company address]
, CUS3701 Assignment 3 2024 (629218)- DUE 6 August 2024
QUESTION 1
Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow. MAPHUNGUBWE CULTURAL
LANDSCAPE The ancient city of Mapungubwe (meaning “hill of the jackal”) is an Iron Age
archaeological site in the Limpopo province on the border between South Africa, Zimbabwe and
Botswana, 75 km from Messina. It sits close to the point where the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers meet.
One thousand years ago, Mapungubwe appears to have been the centre of the largest known kingdom in
the African sub-continent. The civilization thrived as a sophisticated trading centre from around 1200 to
1300 AD, trading gold and ivory with China, India and Egypt. The site was “discovered” on 31 December
1932, when a local informant, Mowena, led E.S.J. van Graan (farmer and prospector), his son and three
others to Greefswald farm on Mapungubwe Hill. On the hill, they noticed stone walls and on closer
inspection, they recovered gold and iron artifacts, pottery and glass beads. Van Graan's son recognised
the academic value of the site and contacted the head of the Department of History at the University of
Pretoria, Professor Leo Fouché. As a result of his intervention, the University negotiated with the owner
of the property, E.E. Collins. In a legal agreement, the University took ownership of the gold and other
artifacts and secured an option and a contract for excavation rights. The University also successfully
requested a postponement of prospecting, mining and related activities on Greefswald. In June 1933,
Greefswald was bought by the Government and excavation rights were granted to the University of
Pretoria. The University established an Archaeological Committee, which from 1933 to 1947 oversaw
research and excavations (read more about the excavations). Mapungubwe Hill is 300 m long, broad at
one end, tapering at the other. It is only accessible by means of two very steep and narrow paths that
twist their way to the summit, and yet 2 000 tons of soil have been artificially transported to the very top
by a prehistoric people of unknown identity. Downloaded by Corona Virus () lOMoARcPSD| CUS3701
ASSESSMENT 03/2024 Archaeological enquiry uncovered the remnants of numerous dwellings, which
had been built on the ruins of predecessors over many generations, resulting in a series of habitation
phases. Radiocarbon dates show that the first buildings were erected below the hill at the beginning of
the 11th century AD. But adjacent to Mapungubwe is the sister site of Bambandyanalo, which was settled
even earlier. It seems that the centre of the state shifted from Bambandyanalo to Mapungubwe Hill in
about 1045 AD, when the town most probably became overcrowded. It was also at about this time that
hills and mountains became associated with royalty and the noble classes began to build their structure
on high ground. This is an important observation as it provided evidence of the extensive wealth and
social differentiation of the people of Mapungubwe; in other words, this ancient civilization was class
based. The gold findings are also evidence of early gold smelting. A large number of artifacts from the
2024 (629218)- DUE 6
August 2024
[Company address]
, CUS3701 Assignment 3 2024 (629218)- DUE 6 August 2024
QUESTION 1
Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow. MAPHUNGUBWE CULTURAL
LANDSCAPE The ancient city of Mapungubwe (meaning “hill of the jackal”) is an Iron Age
archaeological site in the Limpopo province on the border between South Africa, Zimbabwe and
Botswana, 75 km from Messina. It sits close to the point where the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers meet.
One thousand years ago, Mapungubwe appears to have been the centre of the largest known kingdom in
the African sub-continent. The civilization thrived as a sophisticated trading centre from around 1200 to
1300 AD, trading gold and ivory with China, India and Egypt. The site was “discovered” on 31 December
1932, when a local informant, Mowena, led E.S.J. van Graan (farmer and prospector), his son and three
others to Greefswald farm on Mapungubwe Hill. On the hill, they noticed stone walls and on closer
inspection, they recovered gold and iron artifacts, pottery and glass beads. Van Graan's son recognised
the academic value of the site and contacted the head of the Department of History at the University of
Pretoria, Professor Leo Fouché. As a result of his intervention, the University negotiated with the owner
of the property, E.E. Collins. In a legal agreement, the University took ownership of the gold and other
artifacts and secured an option and a contract for excavation rights. The University also successfully
requested a postponement of prospecting, mining and related activities on Greefswald. In June 1933,
Greefswald was bought by the Government and excavation rights were granted to the University of
Pretoria. The University established an Archaeological Committee, which from 1933 to 1947 oversaw
research and excavations (read more about the excavations). Mapungubwe Hill is 300 m long, broad at
one end, tapering at the other. It is only accessible by means of two very steep and narrow paths that
twist their way to the summit, and yet 2 000 tons of soil have been artificially transported to the very top
by a prehistoric people of unknown identity. Downloaded by Corona Virus () lOMoARcPSD| CUS3701
ASSESSMENT 03/2024 Archaeological enquiry uncovered the remnants of numerous dwellings, which
had been built on the ruins of predecessors over many generations, resulting in a series of habitation
phases. Radiocarbon dates show that the first buildings were erected below the hill at the beginning of
the 11th century AD. But adjacent to Mapungubwe is the sister site of Bambandyanalo, which was settled
even earlier. It seems that the centre of the state shifted from Bambandyanalo to Mapungubwe Hill in
about 1045 AD, when the town most probably became overcrowded. It was also at about this time that
hills and mountains became associated with royalty and the noble classes began to build their structure
on high ground. This is an important observation as it provided evidence of the extensive wealth and
social differentiation of the people of Mapungubwe; in other words, this ancient civilization was class
based. The gold findings are also evidence of early gold smelting. A large number of artifacts from the
