Who built Great Zimbabwe? And why? - Breeanna Elliott

譯者: Crystal Yip 審譯者: Ann Chen

Stretched across a tree-peppered expanse in southern Africa

在非洲南部廣闊茂密的樹林間

lies the magnificent ruins of Great Zimbabwe,

有一座宏偉的大辛巴威遺址

a medieval stone city of astounding wealth and prestige.

那是中世紀 擁有驚人財富及威望的石城

Located in the present-day country of Zimbabwe,

位於現時的辛巴威境內

it's the sight of the largest known settlement ruins in Sub-Saharan Africa,

它是在亞撒哈拉地區內 已知最大的聚居遺址

second on the continent only to the pyramids of Egypt.

在洲內僅次於埃及金字塔

But the history of this city is shrouded in controversy,

但這城歷史籠罩在爭議中

defined by decades of dispute about who built it and why.

數十年來 關於何人和為何建城的爭論不斷

Its name comes from the Shona word madzimbabwe,

它的名字源於修納語 「madzimbabwe」

meaning big house of stone

意即大石屋

for its unscalable stone walls that reach heights of nearly ten meters

因為它那無法攀登的石牆近十米高

and run for a length of about 250 meters.

約 250 米長

For its grandeur and historical significance,

因為它的宏偉和歷史價值

it was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.

1986 年被聯合國教科文組織 列為世界文化遺產

Back in the 14th and 15th centuries, it was a thriving city.

早在 14、15 世紀 它是繁榮的城市

Spread across nearly eight square-kilometers,

幅員近八平方公里

Great Zimbabwe was defined by three main areas:

大辛巴威被分為三個主要部分：

the Hill Complex, where the king lived;

「山丘建築群」是國王的居所

the Great Enclosure, reserved for members of the royal family;

「衛城」是王族成員的活動範圍

and the Valley Complex, where regular citizens lived.

和「山谷建築群」 是平常百姓生活的地方

Rulers were both powerful economic and religious leaders for the region.

統治者同時是該地區 重要的經濟和宗教領袖

At its highest point,

最高峰時

the city had a bustling urban population of 18,000 people

此城熙來攘往，人口達一萬八千

and was one of the major African trade centers at the time.

是當時非洲主要貿易中心之一

What enabled this growth was Great Zimbabwe's influential role

此發展是因為大辛巴威 於洲際貿易網絡上的重要角色

in an intercontinental trade network.

Connected to several key city-states along the East African Swahili Coast,

連接數個位於東非 斯瓦希里海岸的主要城邦

it was part of the larger Indian Ocean trade routes.

它是更大的印度洋貿易路線的一站

The city generated its riches by controlling the sources and trade

此城控制貨物來源和貿易 從而賺取財富

of the most prized items:

這些最珍貴貨物包括：

gold,

黃金

ivory,

象牙

and copper.

和銅

With this mercantile power, it was able to extend its sphere of influence

憑這商業力量，它能拓展影響力

across continents,

跨越不同大陸

fostering a strong Arab and Indian trader presence throughout its zenith.

在鼎盛時期 促進阿拉伯和印度商人的往來

Archaeologists have since pieced together the details of this history

透過在遺址發現的手工藝品 考古學家重組歷史細節

through artifacts discovered on site.

There were pottery shards and glassworks from Asia,

藝品有產自亞洲的 陶器碎片和玻璃製品

as well as coins minted in the coastal trading city of Kilwa Kisiwani

也有遠在 1,500 里外的海岸城市 基爾瓦基斯瓦尼鑄造的錢幣

over 1,500 miles away.

They also found soapstone bird figures,

他們也找到滑石鳥形雕像

which are thought to represent each of the city's rulers,

被認為代表此城的各個統治者

and young calf bones, only unearthed near the royal residence,

小牛的骨頭 只於王室住處附近被發現

show how the diet of the elite differed from the general population.

顯示掌權者與平民的膳食不同

These clues have also led to theories about the city's decline.

這些線索亦帶出此城衰落原因的理論

By the mid-15th century,

在 15 世紀中期以前

the buildings at Great Zimbabwe were almost all that remained.

大辛巴威的建築大致與現存的相同

Archaeological evidence points to overcrowding

考古學證據指出人口過度稠密

and sanitation issues as the cause,

和衛生問題是衰落的主要原因

compounded by soil depletion triggered by overuse.

過度耕種以致土壤貧瘠 令情況加劇

Eventually, as crops withered and conditions in the city worsened,

最終，農作物枯萎、城內情況惡化

the population of Great Zimbabwe is thought to have dispersed

大辛巴威的人口被認為分散至他方

and formed the nearby Mutapa and Torwa states.

形成附近「莫塔帕」 和「託爾瓦」兩個城邦

Centuries later, a new phase of Great Zimbabwe's influence

數百年後，大辛巴威新一輪的影響力

began to play out in the political realm

於政治層面上出現

as people debated who had built the famous city of stone.

爭論何人興建這著名的石城

During the European colonization of Africa,

在歐洲殖民非洲的時期

racist colonial officials claimed the ruins couldn't be of African origin.

種族歧視的殖民官員宣稱 遺址不可能由非洲人所建

So, without a detailed written record on hand,

沒有詳細文字記錄在手

they instead relied on myths to explain the magnificence of Great Zimbabwe.

他們以神話解釋大辛巴威的宏偉

Some claimed it proved the Bible story of the Queen of Sheba

有的宣稱它證實了聖經 住在富庶城市示巴女王的故事

who lived in a city of riches.

Others argued it was built by the Ancient Greeks.

其他人說它是古希臘人所建

Then, in the early 20th century after extensive excavation at the site,

後來，20 世紀初 在遺址進行大規模挖掘後

the archaeologist David Randall-MacIver

考古學家大衛．藍道爾-麥西弗爾

presented clear evidence that Great Zimbabwe

發表明確證據指出大辛巴威

was built by indigenous peoples.

是由當地原住民所建

Yet, at the time, the country's white minority colonial government

但當時為數不多的白人殖民政府

sought to discredit this theory because it challenged the legitimacy of their rule.

試圖質疑這理論 因為它挑戰了他們統治的合法性

In fact, the government actively encouraged historians

事實上，當時政府積極鼓勵歷史學家

to produce accounts that disputed the city's African origins.

製造出對該城由非洲人興建的質疑

Over time, however, an overwhelming body of evidence mounted,

但隨著時間過去，漸漸累積大量證據

identifying Great Zimbabwe as an African city built by Africans.

證明大辛巴威 是由非洲人建成的非洲城市

During the 1960s and 70s,

在 1960 和 70 年代

Great Zimbabwe became an important symbol for the African Nationalist movement

大辛巴威成為非洲 民族主義運動的重要象徵

that was spreading across the continent.

運動遍及整個非洲大陸

Today, the ruins at Great Zimbabwe,

今天，大辛巴威遺址

alluded to on the Zimbabwean flag by a soapstone bird,

以滑石鳥像代表，立於辛巴威國旗上

still stand as a source of national pride and cultural value.

仍然被視作國家自豪感 和文化價值的來源