Social organisation of the Great Zimbabwe State

The Zimbabwe Bird. Image credit MediaWiki

• During its first stages of development, the state was egalitarian
• However with population growth and expansion social classes emerged with the ruling classes exploiting the lower classes
• The ruling class lived luxurious lives and ate lots of beef and beer
• They wore imported cloth with their women wearing beautiful jewelry
• The ruling class lived in expensive houses which were built by those in the lower classes and they lived separately from the lower classes
• The ruling class lived in the Great Enclosure while the lower classes settled in the valley
• However despite social differentiation the state put more importance on courage, industry and vision as compared to heredity
• This meant that those in lower class but with special trade skills such as iron-smithing, hunting among others were afforded the chance to show off their skills
• Pottery making was considered and important social activity and was usually done by women
• Pottery was used to express the quality of life people were leading and their level of development
• The people of Great Zimbabwe were also soapstone carvers and the stone was readily available in the state
• Some of the carved items discovered by archaeologists include 8 Hungwe birds which was their totem

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