Question

What evidence do we have that Great Zimbabwe was linked to the gold trade?

The Hausa people have oral traditions telling of the gold trade.
Over 4,000 gold mines were found around the site.
There are Egyptian records showing trade with Great Zimbabwe.
Written records indicate gold as a common item that was traded.

Answer 1

Between the 7th and 14th centuries, the trading of gold helped promote progress in Southern Africa. Learn about Southern Africa, Great Zimbabwe, and the gold trade by recognizing Southern Africa's identity as a region and exploring the Kingdom of Zimbabwe's origins and eventual prosperity in Great Zimbabwe. Updated: 11/03/2021

Africa Has a South

Guess what? Africa has a south. And it's more than just the nation of South Africa.

In history and archeology, we tend to spend a lot of time talking about the northern parts of Africa. I mean, in some ways it makes sense. There's some cool stuff up there - Egypt, for example. And while Northern Africa had some incredible civilizations, it wasn't like societies stopped developing south of the Sahara Desert. In Southern Africa, an entirely different set of societies thrived. They looked different than large northern cities, like Egypt or Kush or Axum, and had their own ways of life. Some of the greatest southern cultures were centered on the people of Zimbabwe.