Manyikeni
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Manyikeni is a Mozambiquean archaeological site, situated around 52 km west of the coastal city of Vilanculos. The archaeological site dates from the twelfth to seventeenth century. It is believed to be part of the Great Zimbabwe tradition of architecture. Not only is the central stone enclosure complex built in this tradition but the find of a Zimbabwe-style iron gong at the site also suggests cultural ties. The site today is covered by the grass Cenchrus Ciliaris. This grass is commonly found in Zimbabwe but not in Mozambique. Berger suggests that this may indicate the grass was introduced along with cattle from Zimbabwe. The site is located 350 km from Great Zimbabwe, the capital of a large, pre-colonial empire. Barker (1978) has suggested that only the ruling elite at Manyikeni consumed beef as cattle bones have only been found in the central part of the site. The lower classes who lived at the periphery of the site ate meat from ovi-caprines. The presence of a large number of glass beads and seashells at the site have led to speculation the settlement traded extensively with the ancient coastal settlement of Chibuene. The site has been placed on the tentative version of the World Heritage List.
