Great Zimbabwe's Lost City: The Fall of the Torwa Dynasty

In the 15th century, as Great Zimbabwe declined, a new kingdom rose in the southwest: the Torwa state, centered at Khami. This episode explores the Torwa dynasty's rise, their distinctive architecture, and their eventual absorption by the Rozvi under Changamire Dombo. Lucas and Luna discuss the archaeological evidence at Khami—the platform walls, the chevron patterns, the terraced hills—and what it reveals about Torwa's political and economic power. They delve into the role of the Mwari cult in legitimizing Torwa rule, the shifting trade routes from the Indian Ocean, and the contested history of the dynasty's origins. Was Torwa a direct successor to Great Zimbabwe, or a separate Shona state? What happened to its people after the Rozvi conquest? Drawing on recent excavations and oral traditions, this episode pieces together the story of a lost kingdom that once rivaled its predecessor in stone and gold. #Torwa #Khami #GreatZimbabwe #Shona #Rozvi #ChangamireDombo #Mwari #ZimbabwePlateau #StoneArchitecture #AfricanHistory #Archaeology #OralTraditions #GoldTrade #15thCentury #16thCentury #SouthernAfrica #History #FexingoHistory #ShonaCivilization #MedievalAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo