The Midlands greenstone belts hold many of the plateau's 'ancient workings', the shallow mines found by colonial prospectors.
Their dating is mostly impossible; on Huffman's argument (1974) extensive mining began about the eleventh century, so some are likely in use on 1 January 1200. The point marks the belt.
Who holds it
- Title
- Not known
- Since
- Not pinned
- Confidence
- low
Lord in 1200
Not known: the local plateau communities.
How things stand that morning
Some workings probably in use; not pinned.
Charter
None: a settlement under a chief, without written privileges.
Fairs and markets
No fixed markets are known; exchange at the chief's court and with visiting traders.
Trade and crafts
Gold.
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: General dating only.
Primary sources for Plateau chiefdoms
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Mapungubwe, the Zimbabwe plateau, Toutswe and the Comoros: the archaeological record (no text; radiocarbon-dated sites). There is no written word from the interior south of the Zambezi or from the Comoros in 1200; all that is known is from excavation. Read online
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.