Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape

　　   Mapungubwe is situated on the northern border of South Africa, in an open tropical savanna landscape created by the meeting of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers. It was forgotten after the 14th century but was once the largest kingdom on the African subcontinent. What remains today are almost intact palace ruins and the surrounding settlements, all of which vividly depict the social and political development of the region 400 years ago.

　　   Some pottery shards found in the shallow deposits of Mapungubwe are believed to be from the early Iron Age, similar to those discovered near Louis Trichardt, and have been dated to between 800 and 1000 AD. The Mapungubwe Iron Age site is one of the most well-known such sites in southern Africa and stands as evidence of significant human value transitions in South Africa, as it led to profound cultural and social changes in the region between 900 and 1300 AD.

　　   The Mapungubwe cultural ruins bear witness to the most complete history of the rise, dominance, and eventual decline of what was then the largest kingdom on the African subcontinent — Mapungubwe. As the center of one of the most powerful international trade networks connecting East African ports with Arabia and India, the establishment of Mapungubwe marks a major milestone in the history of the African subcontinent. The ruins vividly illustrate the impact of climate change on the region. They also document the growth and fall of the ancient Mapungubwe Kingdom, recording a cultural evolution that became vulnerable due to irreversible social transformations.