APAAS Subunit 1D Question 1

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Primary Source

A conical stone tower surrounded by stone walls and trees.

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.”