Farming the Stone City: Agriculture at Great Zimbabwe

How did Great Zimbabwe feed its 18,000 residents? This episode goes beyond the famous stone walls and gold trade to explore the agricultural backbone of the kingdom. We examine the crops — sorghum, millet, cowpeas — and the cattle that were central to wealth and ritual. Lucas and Luna discuss terracing, irrigation, and the role of the Mwari cult in seasonal cycles. They also look at the environmental pressures that contributed to the city's decline: soil exhaustion, drought, and deforestation. The conversation touches on the little-known evidence of granaries and grinding stones found in the ruins, and what they reveal about daily life. A must-listen for anyone curious about how pre-colonial African cities sustained themselves. #GreatZimbabwe #Agriculture #Mwari #Sorghum #Cattle #Terracing #ShonaHistory #SouthernAfrica #IronAge #ZimbabweBird #HillComplex #GreatEnclosure #LittleIceAge #SoilExhaustion #Deforestation #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #AfricanCivilizations Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo