The Soapstone Birds of Great Zimbabwe: Symbols of a NationAfrican Publishing Group, 1998 - 88 pages Beautifully produced and illustrated, this study of the Zimbabwean birds is more than a description or history of the eight soapstone carvings found at the Great Zimbabwe historical site. It offers an insight into an aspect of the cultural heritage of Zimbabwe and an interpretation of the important site of Great Zimbabwe from which it is inherited. The story of the birds is used to explore themes in Zimbabwean historiography. By focusing on the religious symbolism of the birds, the author argues that the Great Zimbabwe site was both a political and religious centre. Practically the work illustrates the central symbolic meaning of the birds to the people and nation of Zimbabwe. And the work is in the context of the construction of an authentic national history. In a foreward, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zimbabwe says that the birds are constitutents of a living tradition embodying the body spirit of the modern national state of Zimbabwe. |
Table des matières
Great Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Tradition | 5 |
Removal and Export of the Zimbabwe Birds | 19 |
Description of the Zimbabwe Birds | 33 |
Droits d'auteur | |
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Expressions et termes fréquents
African Archaeological Bulletin ancestral spirits ancient artefacts Bateleur Bateleur Eagle Bent's Bruwer Buhera Bulawayo Cape Town Carl Mauch carved Caton-Thompson Cecil Rhodes Central Africa century Chapter chevron bird Chief Mugabe Chigwedere Chivhu conical tower crocodile cultural Curator Danamombe Eastern Enclosure excavations exhibition figurines Fish Eagle Garlake Groote Schuur guardian spirits Gutu Gweru Harare Haruzivishe Hungwe Ibid incisions London lower portion Mashonaland Masvingo Matenga Monuments of Zimbabwe Mudenge Munhumutapa Museum for Central Museum für Völkerkunde Museums and Monuments Mutapa Mutare Mwari National Archives National Museums Nemanwa one-half birds oral traditions Philips Ruins political Portuguese Randall-MacIver removed residence Richard Hall Royal Museum Rozvi Shona Shona totems Shumba Soapstone Birds South Africa South African Archaeological South African Museum southern Africa Southern Rhodesia specimens stone birds symbol Tervuren Valley Völkerkunde in Berlin wall Wieschoff Zambezi Zimbabwe Birds Zimbabwe Fig Zimbabwe Hill Complex Zimbabwe National Zimbabwe Ruins zimbabwe sites Zimbabwean