The Domboshava Torque: Gold, Power, and a Lost Necklace

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dig into the story of the Domboshava Torque, a massive gold neck-ring unearthed near Great Zimbabwe in the early twentieth century. They trace its likely origins to the Munhumutapa court, its possible connection to the spirit mediums of the Mwari cult, and the violent trade that brought gold to Sofala. They also explore the torque's afterlife — how it was melted down for bullion, and how its loss still shapes debates over African art and repatriation. Along the way, they touch on the symbolism of gold as divine substance, the role of the mhondoro in protecting royal regalia, and the echoes of the torque in later Shona regalia. A nuanced episode about a single object that opens onto an entire world of power, belief, and loss. #DomboshavaTorque #GreatZimbabwe #Munhumutapa #ShonaHistory #MwariCult #Mhondoro #GoldTrade #Sofala #ZimbabweGold #AfricanArtHistory #Repatriation #LostArtifacts #SouthernAfricaHistory #IndigenousKnowledge #ColonialHistory #History #FexingoHistory #AncientAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo