Less Known Ruins in Rhodesia. 



485 



A theory- has been advanced that the entrances to these ruins 

 look towards the rising or setting sun, and indicate some form of 

 solar worship, but, as a fact, the entrances point to all parts of the 

 compass, and were evidently placed where most suited to the special 

 localitN"! or site. 







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KHAMI KUIXS. SQUARE EN'TRAXCE IX SMALL RUIX. 



In what are considered by some as the older type of ruins the 

 walls generally run in one face from the foundations to the top. In 

 ruins of the "later periods " the walls are built in two, three, or even 

 four tiers, stepped back, and forming terraces 2 to 10 feet in width, 

 and originally covered with a concrete or cement pavement, made of 

 crushed burnt granite. A ruin of this class has a ver>- imposing 

 appearance, especially, as is often the case, when there is abundance 

 of ornamental work in the walls. 



In some ruins a narrow passage between strong walls runs from 

 the entrance to the centre. In the Zimbabwe Temple there is a 

 notable example of such a passage, and the passage leading to the 

 " Hill Ruins " winds between boulders and along faces of rock- 

 strengthened where necessan- with walls and buttresses until it is 

 practically impassable to an enemy armed with bows and arrows, 

 spears, swords, etc. 



