--- title: "Great Zimbabwe Archaeologists Uncover Chinese Pottery Fragments" url: https://newscentral.site/great-zimbabwe-archaeologists-uncover-chinese-pottery-fragments/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "Science" published: 2026-10-14T15:49:31.000Z updated: 2026-10-14T20:42:25.601Z id: 0e2e0268-a637-4d39-9579-d3139691fb68 source: "Live Science https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/chinese-pottery-discovered-in-great-zimbabwe-reveals-medieval-african-empires-vast-connections-spanning-thousands-of-miles" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/great-zimbabwe-archaeologists-uncover-chinese-pottery-fragments/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # Great Zimbabwe Archaeologists Uncover Chinese Pottery Fragments Archaeologists in Great Zimbabwe have unearthed fragments of jade-green Chinese pottery, revealing a previously unknown connection between this medieval African empire and East Asia dating back over a thousand years. Great Zimbabwe, located in modern-day Zimbabwe's southeastern region, was the capital of an ancient civilization that emerged around A.D. 1000. Despite its significance, little is known about this precolonial empire due to the absence of written records left behind by its people. Excavations at Great Zimbabwe have been shedding light on the vast scale and intricate nature of the centuries-old civilization, characterized by sophisticated metalworking and ritual stone carvings. The discoveries were featured in a recent documentary, "Secrets of the Dead: Africa's Golden City," which followed a team of archaeologists as they excavated sites and analyzed artifacts to uncover the empire's origins and trade networks. The excavations at Great Zimbabwe are shedding new light on the medieval African empire's extensive connections across vast distances. The site has long been shrouded in mystery, with many questions surrounding its origins and the identity of its builders. Historical records reveal that Great Zimbabwe was first excavated in the late 19th century, but the process was marred by looting by British colonists who were eager to claim the valuable artifacts for themselves. The colonists conveniently attributed the construction of Great Zimbabwe to the Phoenicians, a people from the Mediterranean region, as part of their efforts to justify removing the treasures to England. This narrative has been widely disputed by archaeologists, who have long argued that Africans built Great Zimbabwe. Today, many artifacts from the site are held in collections at institutions such as the Pitt Rivers Museum at the University of Oxford. Excavations are now uncovering evidence of a highly interconnected African kingdom that flourished for centuries. Archaeologists have discovered glass artifacts at Great Zimbabwe that originated from Southeast Asia, India, and the Middle East, indicating extensive trade networks that spanned thousands of miles and traversed multiple continents via boat routes. Archaeologists investigating the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe have uncovered evidence of extensive trade networks that linked this medieval African empire to distant regions. Merchants from Southeast Asia and India likely traveled across vast distances using the Indian Ocean's monsoon winds to reach Africa. This remarkable feat of navigation enabled them to transport valuable goods, including Chinese pottery, across thousands of miles. The discovery of a jade-green piece of Longquan celadon pottery at Great Zimbabwe provides a fascinating glimpse into this ancient trade network. The high-temperature firing technique used to create the glossy sheen on this ceramic was a technological achievement that had only been mastered in China at that time. Further analysis suggests that Chinese ceramics were rare finds in Great Zimbabwe, possibly reserved for use by the elite who valued these exotic wares highly. Finds at Great Zimbabwe suggest a sophisticated system of trade networks that stretched across vast distances in medieval Africa. Metal objects from present-day Democratic Republic of Congo, approximately 1,250 miles away, have been discovered among the artifacts found at the archaeological site. In addition to these imports, copper and tin sourced from modern-day South Africa, more than 300 miles distant, were also used by the people of Great Zimbabwe. This extensive trade network highlights the complexity of economic relationships in medieval Africa. The use of local resources is another area that researchers are keen to explore. Chirikure plans to investigate the origins of soapstone artifacts found at the site, which hold significant cultural and symbolic value for the Shona people, Zimbabwe's largest Indigenous group. The Zimbabwe Bird, a national emblem designed after soapstone carvings discovered at Great Zimbabwe, appears prominently on the country's flag. Chirikure aims to locate the geological sources of soapstone in the vicinity of Great Zimbabwe, which he believes will provide valuable insights into the lives and practices of the people who created these artifacts. There are multiple soapstone outcrops in the area surrounding the archaeological site, making it a promising location for further research. The discovery of Chinese pottery in Great Zimbabwe has shed new light on the vast connections between medieval African empires that stretched across thousands of miles. The presence of these artifacts suggests a level of trade and cultural exchange previously unknown to historians. This finding is particularly significant given the long-held assumption that African empires were isolated from global trade networks. The excavation of the Great Zimbabwe archaeological site has revealed a complex network of international connections, with evidence of goods and ideas being exchanged between Africa, Asia, and Europe. The discovery of Chinese pottery in this region highlights the extensive reach of medieval African empires, which were previously believed to be limited in their scope. This new information challenges our understanding of the historical period. The significance of these findings cannot be overstated, as they demonstrate the sophisticated level of organization and economic development achieved by medieval African empires. The presence of Chinese pottery in Great Zimbabwe underscores the vast distances that goods and ideas could travel during this time period. --- Source: [Live Science](https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/chinese-pottery-discovered-in-great-zimbabwe-reveals-medieval-african-empires-vast-connections-spanning-thousands-of-miles) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/great-zimbabwe-archaeologists-uncover-chinese-pottery-fragments/