Hungary
Ungwana was an important medieval trading town on the east coast of Africa in what is now Kenya . The old name of the town was Hoja .
The ruins of the city now occupy about 18 hectares and are surrounded by a wall. They are about two kilometers east of the modern city of Kipini . The ruins are near the old course of the Tana River.
The city was founded in the middle of the 10th century, although it is controversial in research whether this can only be traced back to Arabs or whether the local population also played a significant role in the establishment. In any case, the Arabs brought Islam to this area. Ungwana was sacked by the Portuguese in 1505 and then abandoned in the early 17th century. The city had several mosques , a market square and various stone houses, especially in the center of the city. One of them is so large that it may have served as a palace for a local ruler. It has been suggested that Ungwana was the capital of the empire of Ozi .
Various wells were found that ensured the water supply. Imported ceramics - including some from China - indicate extensive trade, although the city's port has not yet been located. The local pottery was also found inland and shows that trade was carried out on the one hand with the countries on the Indian Ocean and on the other with the Swahili inland.
The city was partially excavated in the 1950s by James Kirkman and then again in 1986-1987 by GHO Abungu .
literature
- James S. Kirkman: Ungwana on the Tana , Paris, Mouton & Co., 1966
Web links
Coordinates: 2 ° 32 ′ 0 ″ S , 40 ° 32 ′ 0 ″ E