Fabulous reads – Explore southern Africa’s unsung palaces
Book overview - Palaces of Stone by Mike Main and Tom Huffman.
Palaces of Stone, Mike Main and Tom Huffman, Penguin Random House, ISBN: 9781775846147
ACROSS the face of southern Africa are more than 460 remarkable stone palaces – some small, others rambling, but many are astonishing. What do they have in common? They are all the legacy of kingdoms past. Some, such as Great Zimbabwe, Khami in Botswana and Mapungubwe in South Africa, are famous world heritage sites, but the majority are unknown to the general public and are thus unsung and unappreciated.
Palaces of Stone brings to life the history of various early African societies, from AD 900 to approximately 1850. By exploring a selection of known and unknown sites, the authors uncover the emergence of ancient civilisations and reconstruct the meaning of the ruins they left behind. Woven into the narrative are stories of powerful political states, flourishing local economies, long-distance trade and the destruction wrought by colonialism and modern-day treasure hunters.
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This book will appeal to anyone interested in Africa’s ancient history and its earliest civilisations.
Mike Main has spent more than 40 years exploring Botswana and its neighbours. A management consultant, freelance writer and lay archaeologist, he lives in Gaborone, Botswana.
Tom Huffman is Professor Emeritus of Archaeology at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and is a leading authority on precolonial farming societies in southern Africa and the author of multiple research papers and books on the subject.
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