Primary Source
Photograph of Conical Tower, Great Zimbabwe, 2016, with excerpt from Nancy Demerdash, “Great Zimbabwe,” Smarthistory, 2016
“The conical tower of Great Zimbabwe is thought to have functioned as a granary. According to tradition, a Shona ruler shows his largess towards his subjects through his granary, often distributing grain as a symbol of his protection. Indeed, advancements in agricultural cultivation among Bantu-speaking peoples in sub-Saharan Africa transformed the pattern of life for many, including the Shona communities of present-day Zimbabwe.”