Zinjanja

Zinjanja was a stone-built centre on the southwestern Zimbabwean plateau, part of the architectural tradition associated with Khami. Its freestanding walls and decorative stonework mark a place of authority among the farming and cattle-keeping communities of the interior. Nearby stood other royal centres, including Naletale and Danamombe, whose own walls also display richly decorated patterns.

A wooden post from the entrance to Zinjanja's palace has been dated to the middle of the seventeenth century, when power in the former Butua kingdom was changing hands. The rise of Changamire Dombo and the Rozvi brought a new dynasty to the region towards the end of the century. Rozvi rulers resided at Danamombe and at neighbouring stone-walled centres including Zinjanja, where the older building tradition continued.