Sign in Subscribe
International cooperation

Zimbabwe to Benefit from US$10 Million Fund to Restore 22 African Archaeological Sites

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Zimbabwe will be the beneficiary of a three-year US$10 million project funded by the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage (ALIPH) to restore and protect 22 archaeological sites across the African continent. The project, spearheaded by the University of Zimbabwe, will specifically focus on three significant dry-stone archaeological sites in north-western Zimbabwe: Bumbusi, Matowa, and Shangano. These sites are part of the Zimbabwe culture and are historically linked to the Great Zimbabwe site, which dates from the 11th to the 19th century AD.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US$10 million International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage (ALIPH) fund will be focused on restoring and protecting 22 archaeological sites across the African continent, with a specific focus on three sites in north-western Zimbabwe: Bumbusi, Matowa, and Shangano.
  • The project aims to preserve Zimbabwe's rich cultural legacy, including the dry-stone wall constructions of the Zimbabwe culture associated with the Nambya state that flourished in the region in pre-colonial times.
  • The University of Zimbabwe, National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ), Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks), and the Nambya traditional leadership local communities in Hwange and Bumbusi Wilderness Camp are partners in the project.
  • The project is expected to have three phases: consultations with local communities and stakeholders, assessing the condition of the three sites and outlining a restoration roadmap, and restoration efforts.
  • The project will involve the restoration of collapsed walls, including the initial focus on Bumbusi, followed by Shangano and Matowa.
  • The project will also involve ethnographic research on IKS and recruitment of local workers for restoration efforts.
  • Zimbabwe is rich in archaeological sites of national and international significance, including the Great Zimbabwe World Heritage site, which dates back to the 11th to 19th century AD.
  • The Nambya people revere these sites as ancestral landmarks where they conduct traditional rituals.
  • The project is expected to add to the growing list of Zimbabwe's rich cultural heritage, and the dry-stone structures in the Hwange District represent the westerly expression of the Zimbabwe tradition.

Statistics:

  • The US$10 million International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage (ALIPH) fund will be utilized for the restoration and protection of 22 African archaeological sites.
  • The project has three phases: consultations with local communities and stakeholders, assessing the condition of the three sites and outlining a restoration roadmap, and restoration efforts.
  • The project is expected to last three years.
  • The University of Zimbabwe and its partners will collaborate with the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) and Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) in the project.
  • Bumbusi, Shangano, and Matowa are the three significant dry-stone archaeological sites in north-western Zimbabwe that will be targeted for restoration.
  • Over 400 archaeological sites are present in southern Africa, with Bumbusi and Shangano being the largest and most revered by local communities, particularly the Nambya.

Sources:

  • University of Zimbabwe and partners (unnamed)

Read more