# Great Zimbabwe 1409: The Dhaka Decree and the End of Stone

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/great-zimbabwe-the-lost-african-kingdom-of-stone-fexingo-history-7829648/great-zimbabwe-1409-the-dhaka-decree-and-the-end-of-stone
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/great-zimbabwe-the-lost-african-kingdom-of-stone-fexingo-history-7829648/great-zimbabwe-1409-the-dhaka-decree-and-the-end-of-stone.md
Podcast: [Great Zimbabwe: The Lost African Kingdom of Stone — Fexingo History](https://stenobird.com/podcast/great-zimbabwe-the-lost-african-kingdom-of-stone-fexingo-history-7829648)
Published: 2026-07-16T00:36:46+00:00
Episode link: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/great-zimbabwe/episode-0162.mp3
Audio file: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/great-zimbabwe/episode-0162.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/great-zimbabwe-the-lost-african-kingdom-of-stone-fexingo-history-7829648/episodes/great-zimbabwe-1409-the-dhaka-decree-and-the-end-of-stone
Duration seconds: 482

## Resource

In 1409, the Mwari Oracle issued a decree that would reshape Great Zimbabwe forever: no more stone construction. Lucas and Luna explore the religious and political crisis that led to this ban, the role of svikiro Nehanda Nyamuzuwe in enforcing it, and the shift to dhaka (earth) building that followed. They discuss how the Torwa Mambo Chirimba navigated this edict, the fate of the vavaki stone guild, and the archaeological evidence of halted construction at the Great Enclosure. The episode also touches on the broader spiritual authority of the Mwari cult and its lasting impact on Shona architecture. A story of faith, power, and the end of an era in stone. #GreatZimbabwe #MwariOracle #NehandaNyamuzuwe #Torwa #MamboChirimba #Vavaki #Dhaka #GreatEnclosure #Shona #AfricanHistory #1409 #StoneMasonry #Svikiro #Mhondoro #MatopoHills #Dzimbabwe #FexingoHistory #SouthernAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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