The Great Zimbabwe by: T.S

The Great Zimbabwe

Location: Africa
Religions(s): the Shona Religion
Climate: tropical
Civilization: the great Zimbabwe
Capital: Harare



I looked at what I believed to be out-buildings and found an object that was of iron. Its use was a complete riddle to me, but it proves most clearly that a civilized nation must once have lived here. . . . No further information about the 'when' and 'how' could be obtained."
These ruins cover a huge area, around 1800 acres, and include large stone enclosures and buildings. The Great Enclosure is extremely impressive. It is constructed from approximately 900,000 stone blocks and the walls stand eleven metres high. From the size of the site some archaeologists have suggested that the city might have had a population of around eighteen thousand people.

Research has suggested that the Shona people built the structures at Great Zimbabwe from A.D.1270 onwards and that the site was abandoned at some time between A.D.1420 and A.D.1450. During this time Great Zimbabwe was an important link in the East African coastal trading. Finds at Great Zimbabwe have shown that a trading network exported goods such as gold, ivory and iron and imported glass beads, cotton, glazed pottery and silk cloth which had been brought along the Silk Road.
Great Zimbabwe has become a symbol of the national pride of Zimbabwe. The word Dzimbabwe is the Shona word for the house or grave of a chief and the country Zimbabwe takes its name from the numerous Dzimbabwes in this part of Africa.


The civilization of Great Zimbabwe was one of the most significant civilizations in the world during the Medieval period. But it was all destroyed. The British people stole their recourses. Their culture is destroyed!!!




Many thousands of prehistoric gold-workings are scattered round the former territory of Southern Rhodesia - over an area, in fact, similar to that containing the ruins10. Some calculations indicate that more than 20 million ounces were extracted11. Exploiters of such riches often prefer not to disclose their source, so it is quite credible that most of it ended up in the northern hemisphere12. In fact, in the sixth century AD, Cosmas Indicopleustes of Alexandria13 referred to gold acquired by trade with southeast Africa (where "winter occurred during northern hemisphere summer"); so did Masudi and Ibn Al Wardy in the tenth century - when it was apparently being exported from an Arab trading post at Sofala (on the coast, east of the Zimbabwe Ruins: the modern resort there still carries the old name). That gold could easily have been first detected in alluvial mud at the mouth of the Zambezi river, and perhaps also in the Sabi.
These people were very rich people.




















Location: Africa
Religions(s): the Shona Religion
Climate: tropical
Civilization: the great Zimbabwe
Capital: Harare



I looked at what I believed to be out-buildings and found an object that was of iron. Its use was a complete riddle to me, but it proves most clearly that a civilized nation must once have lived here. . . . No further information about the 'when' and 'how' could be obtained."
These ruins cover a huge area, around 1800 acres, and include large stone enclosures and buildings. The Great Enclosure is extremely impressive. It is constructed from approximately 900,000 stone blocks and the walls stand eleven metres high. From the size of the site some archaeologists have suggested that the city might have had a population of around eighteen thousand people.

Research has suggested that the Shona people built the structures at Great Zimbabwe from A.D.1270 onwards and that the site was abandoned at some time between A.D.1420 and A.D.1450. During this time Great Zimbabwe was an important link in the East African coastal trading. Finds at Great Zimbabwe have shown that a trading network exported goods such as gold, ivory and iron and imported glass beads, cotton, glazed pottery and silk cloth which had been brought along the Silk Road.
Great Zimbabwe has become a symbol of the national pride of Zimbabwe. The word Dzimbabwe is the Shona word for the house or grave of a chief and the country Zimbabwe takes its name from the numerous Dzimbabwes in this part of Africa.


The civilization of Great Zimbabwe was one of the most significant civilizations in the world during the Medieval period. But it was all destroyed. The British people stole their recourses. Their culture is destroyed!!!




Many thousands of prehistoric gold-workings are scattered round the former territory of Southern Rhodesia - over an area, in fact, similar to that containing the ruins10. Some calculations indicate that more than 20 million ounces were extracted11. Exploiters of such riches often prefer not to disclose their source, so it is quite credible that most of it ended up in the northern hemisphere12. In fact, in the sixth century AD, Cosmas Indicopleustes of Alexandria13 referred to gold acquired by trade with southeast Africa (where "winter occurred during northern hemisphere summer"); so did Masudi and Ibn Al Wardy in the tenth century - when it was apparently being exported from an Arab trading post at Sofala (on the coast, east of the Zimbabwe Ruins: the modern resort there still carries the old name). That gold could easily have been first detected in alluvial mud at the mouth of the Zambezi river, and perhaps also in the Sabi.
These people were very rich people.

Phoenician blog M.R.

Dear Journal,

I’m finally writing to you because I created a new writing system. I developed the first real alphabet, which has twenty-two letters. I adopted it from the ancient Greeks. I bet you that in the future this language is going to be the basis for another kind of alphabet. Through trade and contact with other people around the Mediterranean we can spread the use of the alphabet. These 22 letters are one of the world’s first alphabets.
Sincerely,
M.R

Dear Journal,

My dad, John, is an expert sailor and trader. Many people in Phoenicia are traders. They are expert sailors and trade with countries around the Mediterranean. They set up trading colonies, which have locations in many different countries. North Africa, southern Spain and Sicily are a few. Sometimes I get scared for him because the waters can be rough. But my mom reminds me that we need the money to survive.
Sincerely,
M.R

Dear Journal,

Happy New Year! Now it is 1200 BC, a new year a new start. By saying that I mean that we are going to move. Now we live in Tyre, and we are going to move to Byblos. Both of these places are in the eastern Mediterranean. Many of my family members settled along the shores of the Mediterranean. Maybe in the future some of our homelands will become part of the Assyrian, Babylonian and Persian empires.

Sincerely,
M.R

Dear Journal,

Over the summer I am going to visit my cousins. They live in Sidon which is along the shore of the Mediterranean. I am very excited. About 5 years ago they set up trading colonies just like my dad. They help him out sometimes. They told me it is an awesome job. I hope they will take me to visit some of them. I wonder what they do there and what I will do while I am there.

Sincerely,
M.R

Dear Journal,
I’ve made an update on the alphabet that I created not to long ago. Now in my alphabet there are two types of letters. They are consonants and vowels. Technically they are only consonants, but some letters have to be used in the same way as vowels to make it possible to read the words. I hope that some couture will come along and will make it more modern.

Sincerely,
M.R

Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece

It was 500 B.C when the ancient Greece started. The history of Greece can be traced back to Stone Age hunters. Later came early farmers and the civilizations of the Minoan and Mycenaean kings. In the period from 500-336 BC Greece was divided into small city states, because of high mountains. In about 1100 BC, a people called the Dorians invaded from the north and spread down the west coast.


Ancient Greece Everyday Life

The majority of Ancient Greek people made their living from farming. The Greek land and climate was difficult to farm. Grapes were usually picked around September and either kept for eating or made into wine.Olives were usually picked by hand or knocked out of trees with sticks. Olives and grapes were a big part of Greek culture. They were used for cooking, lighting, and for beauty products.


Ancient Greek Games

Ancient Greek Games was a big part of Greek culture. Greeks from all over will come to Olympia to play Greek games. Olympia is where they held the Greek games. They held games like wresling, a foot race, boxing, and many different kinds of racing. Their four different kinds of racing , while they racing they wore heavy armor. Whoever won Greek Games will have a day in their honor and the rest will come home as a hero in their city-state.

Greece

Greece

Its 1821and there is a struggle in Greece with the war going on with the Ottoman Empire war. It actually started with a patriotic conspiracy in Oddesa. Its 1829 and the war with the Ottoman war is over. Successfully Greece won. The struggle is over.

Today I am visiting Sparta, Athens, Delphi, Olympia and Thebes. It’s the noon and I am at Sparta. Sparta has a military culture and always is defensive. The don’t like change and are always prepared for war. The males train from the ages of 7 to 30 and can’t go to war till they are at least around the ages of 30 to 60. The females work at home while the males stay in barracks camps to live till the age of 60.


It’s around morning and I left Sparta and I am at Athens. In Athens there are a lot of olive trees. In Athens people are very wise. There are poleis and acropolises in Athens. People in Athens mostly study and go to school. They are known for statues and art.

I left Athens and I am at Delphi, It is so cool the way the Apollo’s temple was built. It is believed that Apollo temple is sacred and that the two eagles’ sended out by the Greek God Zeus ended coming to the temple of Apollo. It is said that the temple was guarded by the mystical Mother Nature and her serpent. Apollo killed the serpent and Mother Nature left. Oracles would predict the future in Apollo’s temple. Delphi was believed to be the center of Greece and the world. The temple was considered the center of Delphi.

I left Delphi and I am heading to Thebes. Its midday and am at Thebes, there rich with religion and legend. It is said that Thebes was a Mycenaean city. During the Persian war Thebes joined with the Persians and when the Persians lost Thebes was punished. In the Peloponnesians war Thebes sided with Sparta against Athens. I am leaving Thebes and heading to Mount Olympia.

I am at Mount Olympia. They have Olympic Games and tournaments here. People say that the Gods and Goddess battled here and the great God Zeus was king of all the Gods. He is very powerful. One battle between gods and Goddess was the battle between Poseidon and Athena. The battled was for the land of Athens Poseidon gave water but Athena was wise and gifted Athens with olive tree.

M.G.

assyria

Dear Melissa,

Hi this is Gurleen. I’m one of your friends from long ago. I am able to write to you after a long time. I have been very busy lately. It is very hot and dry here and I have been working long hours in the palace in the city of Assyria.

It is very tiring and Assyria is still thriving. It had started in the 20th century. I really want to meet the famous king named Kanu. There are many kings and there are some kings to come. I would also like to have a better job, but for now it is ok. I work as the queen’s supervisor.



Yours truly,

G.k

Dear Elizabeth,

Hi this is Gurleen. It is very fun here. The queen is getting her room filled with art. Did I mention I am her supervisor. The art is very interesting. If only I had a way to show you all this art. It’s beautiful and very colorful. Some of the art here is amazing, there are many sculptures here.

I’ve been also practicing my religion. I am Ashurism and Christian. It is differing culture from your culture. Ashurism is one of the first religions in Assyria. I hope you have a nice time in your village. I also hope you come and visit me in the palace.


Yours truly
g.k

Assyria


Dear Imani,

Hello this is Gurleen. There has been fighting over land here in Assyria. This is very depressing for the king, the queen and also for I. I haven’t got enough sleep. So I am very tired here in Assyria and the queen has got me running around the palace. I’ve got to go now, I am sorry. Villages are attacking again. Bye. Write back. Please… thank you

Yours truly
g.k

Dear Sanjana,


Hi this is Gurleen. How are you doing? So when will you come to visit. Now I will tell you about some information about Assyria. Assyria has two rivers. They are called the Tigris and Euphrates River. So how are you doing in your village? Please write back to me. Please come visit any time.

Yours truly,
g.k

Dear Stacey,

Hi this is Gurleen, are you doing okay? I remember you tell me you wanting to know about some geographical features for your research report. I will tell you. here is very Assyria originally consisted of a narrow strip of alluvial soil on each side of the River Tigris. The area was settled about 3500 BC and was dominated by Sumer until about 2350 BC. Write back.

Yours truly;
G.k

Ancient Egypt By:TM

Dear Journal,

Our civilization was starting up; in 1500 A.D. It was finished. But the bad part was I was Getting lost alot because there are no cities where we are. It was a warm Thursday day and it was about degrees. My Dad came home late after Quarry stone and is making a new pyramid. My dad also had to go back into the mines again. I get scared when he goes into the mines but he always fines valuable. Ramess II was one of my greatest pharaohs. He ruled between 1279 B.C. – 1213 B.C. His reign was focused on building cities. He was also known as Ramses the Great. He was the third king of the 19th dynasty. He also constructed many monuments. Some of our arts were hieroglyphs. Some of our writing is heard to understand as it is wrote on symbols and signs.


Ancient China

Ancient China

The year is 3500 B.C. and I live in the north-western part of China. I love my home! I have an older sister, an older brother, a mom, and a dad. I live near the mountains. These are not just any mountains, these are the Himalayas! They are one of the largest mountain ranges in the world! Even though I live near the mountains, it is hot. The snow from the mountains melts and forms the rivers I live by: the Yellow River and the Yangzi River.

In some parts of where I live, there are deserts. That is also another reason why it is so hot. In the winter, however, the temperature can drop to as low as 50 degrees C! It can be really cold in the winter! China’s lowest point of land is the Turfan Depression. It is called one of China’s furnaces because it is so hot! South of where I live is wet and tropical. It also has a lot of rainforests there. That’s why I like visiting there. It is so beautiful!

My father is a type of artist. He works with the minerals of our Earth. Some of them are jade, bronze, and even silk. Silk is very rare in my country. We don’t want anybody to know because it is very hard to make it of high quality and it is expensive. My father can make all kinds of things! He makes belts for my sister, my mom, and I, and weapons for my brother and him. My brother is going to be like my dad one day. He will make things like these, then sell them.

The religion in my country may be weird to you, but not to me. In my country we believe in something called the afterlife. An after life is the life you have after you die. When someone dies we put all kinds of things in their tombs, such as: jewelry, weapons, and some of their own things. I believe in a special relation between the living and the dead. My people believe that our ancestors are in the spirit world, living with the gods. Our ancestors persuade the gods to bring good or bad luck to people. Sometimes we hold ceremonies or rituals to persuade or ancestors to bring good luck.
Our writing system is very different from the English language. I use logograms instead of letters. Unlike letters, logograms represent words and meanings. Logograms are basically just different line strokes. Many archeologists have found bones from people in the Shang dynasty with this writing on them. This writing has not changed for thousands and thousands of years