Great Zimbabwe 1385 The Ironworking Guilds and the Domboshava Torque

This episode takes us inside the world of Great Zimbabwe's ironworkers — the ziso, a guild of smiths who transformed raw ore into tools, weapons, and ritual objects that shaped the kingdom's economy and spirituality. We focus on a specific artifact: the Domboshava Torque, an iron neck-ring discovered near the Hill Complex, radiocarbon-dated to around 1385. Lucas explains how the ziso smelted ore in clay furnaces, used bellows of animal hide, and kept their techniques secret through mutupo clan taboos. Luna asks about the spiritual risks of ironworking, and Lucas describes the rituals meant to appease Mwari and the mhondoro spirits — including the sacrifice of a black goat before each smelt. We also explore how the torque, with its twisted iron strands and copper inlays, symbolized authority and was likely given to a mambo or a senior svikiro. The episode touches on the decline of Great Zimbabwe's iron trade as forests were depleted for charcoal, and ends with a reflection on what the torque tells us about the skill and artistry of these forgotten smiths. #GreatZimbabwe #Ironworking #ZisoGuild #DomboshavaTorque #Mwari #Svikiro #Mhondoro #Mutupo #HillComplex #Smelting #AfricanMetallurgy #1385 #SouthernAfrica #VaShona #Mambo #History #FexingoHistory #Archaeometallurgy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo