The Ancient Ruins of Rhodesia.(Monomotapae Imperium)

Preface to the Second Edition. The early call for a second edition of this work and the absence of the authors in South Africa have not afforded them the opportunity which they desired of making such extensive additions to the early descriptions of ruins, or of including descriptions of other ancient ruins in this country, which have been discovered since the first edition appeared. In their absence Professor A. H. Keane has very kindly revised the work on their behalf.

The subject of the investigations concerning the ancient monuments of Southern Rhodesia is one that is rapidly advancing, and the authors are still busily prosecuting their researches. Mr R. N. Hall, F.R.G.S., is now completing a period of three years\' examination work at Great Zimbabwe, and the results of his work will reveal some entirely fresh features in ancient architecture and relics, all which points have yet to be laid before scientists for their consideration. This will be done in The Great Zimbabwe, which will be published during 1905. The results of his recent examination of the ruins of forts, stone terraces, and aqueducts in the Inyanga district, together with the results of similar work at many newly discovered ruins of importance in Southern Mashonaland, will respectively appear in separate form early in 1905.

The authors state that \"The theory of the successive occupations of Rhodesia by the South Arabians and Phoenicians has, so far as researches have been made, exceedingly strong claims for acceptance,\" and they observe \"that the recent discoveries in Rhodesia of a vast number of massive ruins,\" and \"additional finds further evincing the practice by the ancients of Phallic worship,\" have considerably strengthened the arguments that Rhodesia was the source of King Solomon\'s gold.\" The volume contains a comprehensive account of the archaological ruins of Rhodesia, dealing with the present remains, the methods of ancient goldmining and smelting, the work of the ancient goldsmiths, and the architecture and construction of the ruins. There are a number of appendices, in which will be found articles relating to \"Some ancient hammers found in the Tati District,\" and a \"Description of an ancient Copper Mine,\" both contributed by Mr. R. C. Dowie, whilst other chapters give accounts of \"Great Zimbabwe,\" the ruins of Khami and other ruins in Mashonaland, Matabeleland, and North Bechuanaland, together with an account of the views of different writers on the \"Ophir-Rhodesia\" controversy.

Original navy blue cloth with gilt vignette to front cover and gilt lettering to spine, bottom of rear cover rubbed and slight loss - ex-libras label to front paste-down and owner\'s name to front endpaper dated 1911. Frontice piece of conical tower, elliptical temple, Zimbabwe xlviii - addenda to second edition plus 404 pages of text with publisher\'s catalogue of 40 pages dated 1907 plus folding map to rear pocket. This suggests that sheets were bound to include new catalogue post 1907... Good reading reference copy includes numerous illustrations and supporting data.