Zimbabwe - the name

The word 'zimbabwe' comes from a two words in the Shona language - zimba ramabwe. This means 'big house of stone' and was the name given long ago to royal houses.

Zimbabwe long ago

Long, long ago - maybe 5,000 years ago - people living in the area which is now Zimbabwe, drew and painted the animals that they hunted on the walls of caves. Many of these cave paintings can still be seen today.

About a thousand years ago, Shona people settled in the area and ruled a great empire. They built a huge city with high stone walls, towers and entrances which led to a maze of corridors and chambers, known as Great Zimbabwe. The people became wealthy through trading gold and ivory but after many hundreds of years people moved away and Great Zimbabwe fell into ruin.

The Zimbabwe bird

Seven carved stone birds were found at the ruins of Great Zimbabwe. Most of them were perched on top of stone columns.

Zimbabwe today

Zimbabwe today has big, lively cities as well as villages and huge areas of farmland. The ruins of Great Zimbabwe are visited by many people. The stone Zimbabwe birds are now in a museum.

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