# Great Zimbabwe 1413 The Dhaka City That Rose From Stone's End

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/great-zimbabwe-the-lost-african-kingdom-of-stone-fexingo-history-7829648/great-zimbabwe-1413-the-dhaka-city-that-rose-from-stone-s-end
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/great-zimbabwe-the-lost-african-kingdom-of-stone-fexingo-history-7829648/great-zimbabwe-1413-the-dhaka-city-that-rose-from-stone-s-end.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: 2026-07-16T13:03:53+00:00
Episode link: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/great-zimbabwe/episode-0163.mp3
Audio file: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/great-zimbabwe/episode-0163.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-1413-the-dhaka-city-that-rose-from-stone-s-end
Duration seconds: 394

## Resource

In 1413, Great Zimbabwe's stone masons faced an impossible choice: obey the Mwari Oracle's ban on stone construction or defy the gods. This episode follows the vavaki stone guild as they scatter across the Zimbabwe Plateau, carrying their skills to new settlements like the dhaka (earth and dung) city of Zvongombe. We explore how the Torwa dynasty under Mambo Chirimba enforced the Dhaka Decree, transforming architecture, trade, and spiritual life. The episode also reveals the rise of the Njelele shrine as a new Mwari center and the quiet rebellion of masons who hid dolerite tools in sacred caves. Drawing on oral traditions and archaeological evidence from sites like Great Zimbabwe, Khami, and Danamombe, we uncover the decade when stone building ended and a new earth-and-timber era began. Perfect for listeners who love stories of cultural transformation, forbidden knowledge, and the tension between tradition and survival. #GreatZimbabwe #TorwaDynasty #MamboChirimba #MwariOracle #DhakaDecree #Vavaki #Njelele #Zvongombe #Dolerite #AfricanHistory #StoneMasonry #ZimbabwePlateau #OralTradition #Archaeology #1410s #SouthernAfrica #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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