T4A Logo
Africa Map Pin
Advanced Search »

Viewpoint The Conical Tower

ID: w227031 View large map

Located in Zimbabwe :: Masvingo  :: Masvingo
Category: Attraction :: Viewpoint

The conical towers represent symbolic grain bins, and could also symbolise the male seed providing crops for the people, as expressed in a Karanga genesis story, where the man was able to 'fill his grain bin with seeds' (children). Since nature's fertility and woman's fertility are closely connected in the Karanga universe, the conical towers could then represent both the mambo's role of providing seeds for the people's fields as well as seed (semen) to provide crops (children) for his wives.

There is evidence to support this idea in Karanga tradition. When a man dies, his personal possessions such as his bow and arrows, his walking stick and his axe are placed inside the grain bin of a young pre- pubescent girl, until the bringing-home ceremony. The unused grain bin is a symbol of her virginal (clean) state and this has a 'protective' nature. While the dead man's artefacts represent his status and male responsibilities, the place meant of them inside the woman's grain bin becomes a symbolic sexual act. (Aschwanden 1987:239f). The grain bin then, is symbolically associated with the female in this particular situation, and it might be appropriate to suggest that the conical towers at Great Zimbabwe, as symbolic grain bins, refer to both male and female fertility and not just to male status. They therefore represent the unity between the dualities of male and female.The large Conical Tower would then become a significant symbol in the royal settlement, since the longevity of the mambo's ancestry can only be provided by his children, through his wives. The large Conical Tower therefore provides a marker within the settlement of his family's longevity.

Contact
Address :  Masvingo, Zimbabwe

Comments [ leave a comment ]

Be the first to leave a comment.

Extras [ add media ]

Be the first to submit a link or media file

Padkos Links [ submit a link ]

Be the first to submit a link

 
Suggest a Correction
 
Disclaimer: Please note that the Tracks4africa content is researched continuously and the data is updated regularly. Although we endeavour to keep our information as up to date as possible, this is not always possible due to the high volume of listings on our database. Therefore, please treat our information as a guide and reconfirm important items with establishments directly. Please help other travellers, by helping us to keep our data up to date, by submitting data corrections.

Places in the Vicinity

Categories in the Vicinity