Mapungubwe

a complex of archaeological cultures in South Africa named after the cliff on the Limpopo River near Messina.

Mapungubwe was discovered by treasure hunters in 1929 and investigated between 1931 and 1934. Traces of a culture from the early Iron Age (c. eighth to 12th centuries) were found on the cliff and in its vicinity. The culture was characterized by modeled stamped pottery, small iron arrowheads, and iron hoes. The population engaged in primitive hoe farming and in stock raising and hunting. A fortification on the cliff, dating from approximately the 14th to 17th centuries, belonged to a culture of the developed Iron Age that had polished pottery, numerous objects made of iron, and gold ornaments. The population of this later stage also engaged in farming and stock raising. The late culture of Mapungubwe most likely was a variant of the Zimbabwe culture.