Madagascar's Mahilaka: The Lost Swahili Stone City

Long before the Merina kingdom or even the Sakalava, a Swahili stone city thrived on Madagascar's northwest coast. Mahilaka, founded around the 11th century by Antalaotra Muslim traders, was a bustling port linking the island to the Indian Ocean world. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the ruins of Mahilaka — its coral stone mosques, imported Chinese ceramics, and evidence of ironworking and textile production. They discuss how Mahilaka was part of a network stretching from Kilwa to the Comoros, and why it declined in the 14th century, possibly due to environmental pressure or shifting trade routes. The episode also touches on the legacy of the Antalaotra, whose descendants still live in northwest Madagascar, and the mystery of why Mahilaka was abandoned before European contact. Fresh angle: this episode zooms in on a single site, using archaeology to illuminate Madagascar's early cosmopolitan history. #Mahilaka #Antalaotra #SwahiliCoast #MadagascarHistory #Archaeology #IndianOceanTrade #StoneCity #Kilwa #Comoros #Sorabe #MozambiqueChannel #11thCentury #14thCentury #TradeRoutes #IslamicTraders #LostCity #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo