Torwa state

E39505

The Torwa state was a precolonial Shona-speaking kingdom in southwestern Zimbabwe, centered at Khami and known for its stone architecture and role as a successor to Great Zimbabwe.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Torwa state canonical 4

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Shona-speaking polity
historical state
precolonial African kingdom
archaeologicalCulture Khami culture
linked to: Khami Ruins
archaeologicalSite Khami Ruins
associatedWith Khami architectural style
capital Khami
linked to: Khami Ruins
centeredAt Khami
linked to: Khami Ruins
continent Africa
country Zimbabwe
culturalSuccessorOf Great Zimbabwe culture
linked to: Great Zimbabwe
economyBasedOn agriculture
cattle herding
regional trade
ethnolinguisticGroup Shona
flourishedInCentury 15th century
16th century
17th century
hasArchaeologicalEvidence elite residences at Khami
stone-walled platforms at Khami
terracing and retaining walls
hasFeature complex settlement hierarchy around Khami
elite stone platforms separated from commoner areas
heritageSiteAtCapital Khami Ruins National Monument
linked to: Khami Ruins
influenced later Rozvi polities
influencedBy Great Zimbabwe architectural traditions
knownFor decorated stone walls
dry-stone walling
stone architecture
terraced stone platforms
language Shona language
locatedIn southwestern Zimbabwe
materialCulture beadwork
decorated pottery
iron objects
modernCountryTerritory Republic of Zimbabwe
linked to: Zimbabwe
partOfHistoricalRegion Rozvi and Torwa cultural area
politicalCenterType stone-built hilltop complex
politicalSystem monarchy
precolonialStatus existed before European colonization of Zimbabwe
region southern Africa
religion Shona traditional religion
rulingEliteCulture Shona culture
successorOf Kingdom of Great Zimbabwe
linked to: Great Zimbabwe
successorStateSite Khami Ruins World Heritage Site
linked to: Khami Ruins
timePeriod Late Iron Age
tradeNetwork interior southern Africa trade routes

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Khami Ruins culture Torwa state
Khami River associatedWith Torwa state
Shona states includedState Torwa state