Kilwa Kisiwani: East Africa's Ancient City of Gold and Trade
Kilwa was the Miami of its day!
Kilwa (900 A.D. - 1500 A.D.)
The ancient city state of Kilwa also known as Kilwa Kisiwani, was the Miami of its day. Located in East Africa on the beautiful Swahili coast of Tanzania, Kilwa became a notorious city state for trade. Kilwa dominated the import/export business of goods coming in and out of Africa and to Arabia, Persia, and India. The residents of Kilwa saw the fruits of this trade and many were extremely wealthy, especially because their south outpost of Sofala was a huge port of Zimbabwe gold.  Kilwa’s architecture was also top of the line as it featured several stone buildings and Mosques. Most famous of the structures probably being the Great Mosque of Kilwa, that was built including 16 bays, supported by nine pillars, originally carved from coral stones. 13th century intellectual Ibn Battuta also said this about the city upon his visit "We ... traveled by sea to the city of Kilwa...Most of its people are Zunuj, extremely black...The city of Kilwa is amongst the most beautiful of cities and most elegantly built... Their uppermost virtue is religion and righteousness, and they are Shafi'i in rite."  Researcher Edward John Pollard also teaches us that although trade connections with the Arabian Peninsula as well as India and China influenced the growth and development of Kilwa, and, though there are Islamic words and customs that have been adapted to the culture, the origins are African.
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