Located in southern Africa just below the Limpopo River, the kingdom of Mapungubwe, flourished between the 11th and 13th century CE

马普贡布韦王国位于非洲南部，紧邻林波波河，于公元11至13世纪繁荣发展。

A

A

Mapungubwe, which was one of the first states in southern Africa, was formed by Bantu-speaking peoples who were farmers. The area controlled by the rulers of Mapungubwe had at its heart a large sandstone plateau, which was easily defended due to its inaccessibility. As with other kingdoms in the region of southern Africa, cattle herding and other types of farming brought plenty of food and a surplus that could be traded for needed goods. Archaeology has revealed extensive layers of bones and manure, which indicate that from the 9th century CE there were large cattle herds, the traditional source of political power in southern African communities. The archaeological record for the 10th century shows a marked increase in the number of domesticated cattle in the area as well as cotton cultivation and weaving, as indicated by abundant finds of spindle whorls.

马普贡贝韦是南部非洲最早建立的国家之一，由讲班图语的农民群体所形成。马普贡贝韦统治者控制的地区中心是一片广阔的砂岩高原，由于地形难以进入，因此易于防御。与南部非洲其他王国一样，放牧和各类农业活动带来了丰富的食物和盈余，可用于交换所需物资。考古发现大量骨骼和粪便层，表明自公元9世纪起，该地区已拥有庞大的牛群，而牛群一直是南部非洲社会传统政治权力的来源。10世纪的考古记录显示，该地区的家畜数量显著增加，同时棉花种植和纺织业也发展起来，这一点从大量纺锤轮的出土物中得到了证实。

B

B

The total population of Mapungubwe at its peak in the mid-13th century was around 5,000 people. The chief or king of Mapungubwe was likely the wealthiest individual in the society, and would have owned more cattle and precious materials than anyone else. The king and his advisers dwelt in a stone enclosure composed of stone walls and housing built on the highest level of the community's territory, a natural sandstone hill which is some 30 metres high and 100 metres in length. Occupation on the hill dates from the 11th century and the entire complex was surrounded by a wooden palisade, as indicated by postholes made in the rock. The rest of the community lived in mud and thatch housing spread out below the hill, although there is one stone structure here. This settlement, known as Babandyanalo, covers around 5 hectares (12.3 acres) and predates the hilltop structures.

13世纪中期，马普贡布韦的总人口约为5000人。该地的首领或国王很可能是社会中最富有的人，拥有比其他人更多的牲畜和贵重物品。国王及其顾问居住在由石墙围成的石砌建筑中，位于社区领地最高处的一座天然砂岩山丘之上，这座山丘高约30米，长约100米。山顶的定居点可追溯至11世纪，整个建筑群周围环绕着木制栅栏，这一点从岩石上留下的桩孔即可看出。社区其余居民则住在山下分散分布的泥屋和茅草房中，不过此处也有一座石结构建筑。这个被称为巴班达亚纳洛（Babandyanalo）的聚落占地约5公顷（12.3英亩），其历史早于山顶的建筑群。

C

C

The kings of Mapungubwe were buried at the top of the hill site in a demarcated area away from the dwellings, while other members of the community were buried at the surrounding valley level. A wooden staircase connected the two levels, the sockets for the steps being clearly visible in the sandstone cliff face. There were some grander residences dotted around the outskirts of Babandyanalo, and these probably belonged to male relatives of the king. There are many other smaller but still impressive sites across the Mapungubwe plateau, which are located anywhere from 15 to 100 kilometres from the major hill site. Containing stone residences and walls, they likely belonged to local chiefs who acted as servants to the king.

马普贡布韦的国王被安葬在远离居所的山顶区域，而社区其他成员则被埋葬在周围的山谷地带。两层之间由一座木制阶梯相连，台阶的凹槽清晰可见于砂岩悬崖上。巴班达亚纳洛外围散布着一些规模较大的住宅，这些住宅很可能属于国王的男性亲属。马普贡布韦高原上还有许多其他较小但同样令人印象深刻的遗址，它们距离主要山丘遗址约15至100公里不等。这些遗址包含石砌房屋和城墙，很可能是当地首领的居所，他们为国王效力。

D

D

The Mapungubwe plateau has a very high number of carnivore animal remains and ivory splinters, suggesting that the skins of these large animals and ivory elephant tusks were accumulated, probably for trade with coastal areas reached by the Limpopo River. The presence of glass beads, almost certainly from India, indicate there was trade of some sort with other states on the coast who, in turn, traded with merchants travelling from India by sea. Mapungubwe also benefitted from locally-sourced copper and the gold trade as it passed from the kingdom of Great Zimbabwe (12-15th century), situated to the north of Mapungubwe, to the coastal city of Kosala. It is likely that trade links led to a strengthening of political authority in order to control and even monopolise these lucrative interregional connections.

马普贡布韦高原发现了大量食肉动物的遗骸和象牙碎片，表明这些大型动物的皮毛以及大象象牙曾被积累起来，可能用于与利姆波波河所到达的沿海地区进行贸易。玻璃珠的存在几乎可以确定来自印度，这说明这里曾与沿海其他邦国有过某种形式的贸易往来，而这些邦国又与从印度乘船而来的商人进行交易。马普贡布韦还受益于本地铜矿资源以及黄金贸易，因为这些资源从位于马普贡布韦以北的大津巴布韦王国（12至15世纪）传入沿海城市科萨拉。很可能，贸易联系加强了政治权威，使该地得以控制甚至垄断这些利润丰厚的跨区域联系。

E

E

Archaeological discoveries reveal that pottery was produced on a scale large enough to suggest the presence of professional potters, and is another indicator of the prosperity of Mapungubwe society. Archaeological finds include spherical vessels with short necks, beakers, and bowls, many of which have decorative stamps. There are also ceramic discs, and whistles. In addition, cattle, sheep, and goat figurines, and small figures of highly stylised humans with elongated bodies and short limbs have been found. The figures may have been used in ceremonies as offerings to ancestors, but their precise function is not known. Other discoveries include small jewellery items made from locally sourced copper.

考古发现表明，陶器的生产规模相当大，暗示了专业制陶工匠的存在，这也是马普贡布韦社会繁荣的又一证据。出土的文物包括短颈球形器皿、酒杯和碗，其中许多带有装饰性印章。此外还有陶制圆盘和哨子。同时发现了牛、羊、山羊的塑像，以及身体修长、四肢短小的极具风格化特征的人形小雕像。这些雕像可能曾用于仪式中作为献给祖先的祭品，但其确切用途尚不明确。其他发现还包括用当地铜制成的小型珠宝饰品。

F

F

Beautifully decorated artefacts made of gold have also been found at Mapungubwe. A type of decoration, found nowhere else except Great Zimbabwe, involved the crafting of gold into small rectangular sheets and carving geometrical patterns into it. These sheets were then used to cover wooden objects (which have not survived) using small tacks, also made of gold. One such object that has been discovered may have been a sceptre, while additional evidence of local gold-working is a rhinoceros figurine made from small hammered sheets, and thousands of small gold beads. These objects were all found at the royal burial site and date to c. 1150. They are the first known indicators that gold had an intrinsic value of its own (as opposed to that of a currency) in southern Africa.

在马普贡布韦还发现了精美的金制器物。一种仅存在于大津巴布韦的装饰方式，是将黄金制成小矩形薄片，并在其上雕刻几何图案。这些薄片随后用由金制成的小钉子覆盖木制物品（这些木器已不存）。其中发现的一件物品可能是一根权杖，而其他当地金器加工的证据包括由小锤打薄片制成的犀牛雕像以及数千颗小型金珠。所有这些物品均出土于皇家墓葬地，年代约在1150年左右。它们是目前已知的最早证据，表明黄金在南部非洲具有自身的内在价值（而非作为货币使用）。

G

G

The kingdom of Mapungubwe was already in decline by the late 13th century, probably because overpopulation placed too much stress on local resources, a situation that may have been brought to a crisis point by a series of droughts.Trade routes may also have shifted northwards. Certainly, the areas that now prospered were to the north, such as Great Zimbabw.

到13世纪末，马普贡布韦王国已开始衰落，这可能是由于人口过多而对当地资源造成巨大压力，而一系列干旱可能使这一状况达到了危机点。贸易路线也可能向北转移。的确，如今繁荣的地区位于北部，例如大津巴布韦。

*palisade: typically a row of closely palced, high vertical wooden or iron posts used as a means of defence.

*栅栏：通常是一排紧密排列的高耸垂直木桩或铁桩，用作防御手段。