5o6 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



There are many points of interest concerning the passages at 

 Zimbabwe : — 



(a) Passages were evidently constructed as part of the plan of 

 the fortifications, but in some instances only as means of communi- 

 cation between certain buildings within the fortified area, and also 

 for securing privacy. In the one class of passages, buttresses, and 

 traverses are repeated with a marvellous redundancy ; in the other 

 class not a single buttress or traverse is tO' be found. 



(b) In passages leading from main ruins to exterior buildings 

 the walls of the passages nearer the main ruins are better built, and 

 the step^ and floors are better constructed in the portions nearer the 

 main ruins than are those of the more distant portions of the i)as- 

 sages. So imperceptibly dO' the better built ix)rtions merge into the 

 less superior class of walls, that it is extremely difficult tO' ascertain 

 the exact point where the change in the quality of the construction 

 takes jolace, though the difference in the class of building at one 

 end of the passage and that of the other is most ol)vious. But 

 though this difference in the construction of the passage walls is so 

 apparent, there is no suggestion that portions were of a later period, 

 for they are built upon one plan, have one line of direction, serve as 

 a complete communication with one obvious and particular point, 

 and one length of the passage without the other wtnild be purpose- 

 less so far as the intention ui the builders may be gathered. With 

 regard to the passages ascending the Acro])ohs. the completeness of 

 the plan of these passages is best seen from the summit of the hill 

 or from the summit of M'Kuma Kopje oii the opposite side of the 

 valley, from which heights respectively a complete view of tho.se 

 passages in their entire length is to be obtained. 



(c) Excepting some of the passages in the Elliptical Temple 

 and a few others on the Acropolis, all the passages at Zimbabwe 

 are exceedingly narrow and tortuous, many being only shoulders 

 wide, while, owing to their winding lengths, it is not possible to see 

 many feet ahead. Such of these passages as have their floors below 

 the levels of adjoining enclosures have in manv places their side 

 walls bulged in by weight of earth and debris behind, into the pas- 

 sage ways, and in some instances the side walls ha\e collapsed and 

 blocked up the passages. 



(d) Almost ever}- passage appears to have originally been paved 

 with blocks, which were covered over with granite cement, but the 

 cement, except in a few instances, has decomposed, and been washed 

 away by centuries of rains, though abundant traces of it remain. 



(e) Sunken passages, built very much below the levels of the 

 ancient floors on either side of them, are numerous. The best in- 

 stances of sunken passages are the North-east Passage between the 

 Elliptical Temple and the Valley of Ruins. al.sO' the North-west 

 A.scent to- the Acropolis and the sunken passage in the Eastern 

 Temple on the Acropoli.s. 



(/) The walls of the ascents to the Acropolis, as originally 

 built, would have precluded any outsider from seeing, even if stand- 

 ing on an adjoining kopje, the movements of peojile passing up and 



