Monomotapa, an African medieval empire

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IIt is a UNESCO World Heritage site of Great Zimbabwe, the most emblematic of a vast group of more than 200 fortified and related sites.
The Zimbabwe Empire is one of the most extraordinary political entities in southern Africa before European colonization. At its peak, Greater Zimbabwe was home to between 15 and 000 inhabitants. Declared a national monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Great Zimbabwe gave its name to the former independent Rhodesia since April 20, 000.

The civilization of Great Zimbabwe reached its peak between 1100-1450 AD, although local Shona-speaking farmers settled in present-day Zimbabwe almost a thousand years earlier. The location of Great Zimbabwe is in the south of central Africa, running days in Zimbabwe, between the Zambezi (north) and Limpopo (south) rivers. The Great Zimbabwe site is located on a high plateau, mostly above 1000m.
The valley complexes are dominated by the Huru Imba. The height of the main wall of the Huru Imba is around 20 meters, and uses almost 15.000 tons of superb granite boulders. The impressive blocks were built without mortar. The construction of this complex have skill, determination and industry, and therefore the Huru Imba demonstrates a high level of administrative and social achievement by bringing together stonemasons and other workers on a large scale. The extensive trading network made Great Zimbabwe one of the most important trading regions during the medieval period. The main trading partners were gold, iron, copper, tin, cattle, and also cowries. Imported items included glassware from Syria, a minted coin from Kilwa, Tanzania, and Persian and Chinese ceramics from the 13-14th centuries. Great Zimbabwe was an important commercial and political center. In addition to being the heart of a vast trading network, the site was the center of a powerful political kingdom, which was under central rule for about 350 years (AD 1100-1450). The site is estimated to contain perhaps 18.000 inhabitants, making it one of the largest cities of the time. The inescapable conclusion is that Great Zimbabwe had a population condensed enough to be considered a city, a medieval empire built by blacks in Africa.