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Thulamela is the most dramatic of around 300 archaeological sites identified in Kruger National Park. It is located on heights south of the Levubu River offering a panoramic view. Sidney Miller led excavations from December 1993 to July 1995,[1] and the site has also been partially reconstructed.
The opening of the rebuilt Thulamela was attended by a hundred guests, including then Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Pallo Jordan and then SANParks chairman, the late Dr. Enos John Mabuza. The name Thulamela comes from a portmanteau of thulwi ("mound") and mela ("growing") in references to the tall anthills in the area.[2]
The Makahane, a subtribe of the Vhalembeth branch of the Venda people, inhabited the Thulamela stone fortress from 1250 to 1700 C.E. Glass beads, Chinese porcelain, imported textiles, ivory bracelets, gold, bronze, and other jewelry testify to extensive trade links. Skilled goldsmiths, the inhabitants traded the metal as currency, and they also mined iron ore that they forged into iron for export. Both metals were traded for ivory, glass beads, and grain from merchants closer to the east coast. There were likely also trade links with West Africa.[3]
The graves of a 16th-century king and queen were unearthed in the 1990s excavations. Archaeologists named them King Ingwe and Queen Losha, and their castle was estimated to house 1,000 people.[1] Dwellings along the ruined walls on the hillsides beyond could regularly have housed 2,000.
Similar village ruins can be found in the Mateke Hills on the other side of the Limpopo River in Zimbabwe. The Makahane Cliffs can be found in the same area of Kruger National Park, northeast of the Punda Maria Gate near the Levubu, and was also a Vhalembethu settlement.
The families of the Kingdom Thulamela:
Makahane — also known as Shagala, Nephawe, Mataji (Matandze)
Pafuri — known as Makushu (Makush)
Maphaha Xikumbu (Xikumbu) — son of Thonga Tshilimandila in Phalaborwa.
Shilowa or Selowa — also known as Machete, Mmopa, Mushiana, Vudogwe, Mbwashishi, Senyolo or Vhadau Vha Damani
Visitors to the park can book tours from Punda Maria Camp up to Thulamela.
^ abSteyn, Maryna; Miller, Sidney; Nienaber, Willem C.; Loots, Marius (1998). "Late iron age gold burials from Thulamela (Pafuri region, Kruger National Park)". The South African Archaeological Bulletin. 58 (168): 73–85. doi:10.2307/3889182. JSTOR 3889182.
Thulamela Municipality (Venda: Masipalawapo wa Thulamela; Tsonga: Masipala wa Thulamela) is a local municipality within the Vhembe District Municipality...
Thulamela is the most dramatic of around 300 archaeological sites identified in Kruger National Park. It is located on heights south of the Levubu River...
founding member of Corruption Watch. Hassim is currently Senior Counsel at Thulamela Chambers. Hassim worked on the Limpopo Textbooks Case, which went to the...
established after the August 2016 local elections by merging portions of the Thulamela and Makhado local municipalities. Malamulele is the seat of the municipality...
It is the administrative centre of Vhembe District Municipality and Thulamela Local Municipality. It is also known for being the former capital of the...
villages (excluding the township), were home to 206,646 people. In 2001, Thulamela calculated the population according to some 16 main areas (again, excluding...
settlements in the Pafuri region including that of Thulamela on the southern bank of the Luvuvhu. Thulamela was one of many walled cities that existed in the...
The Thulamela Local Municipality is a Local Municipality in Limpopo, South Africa. The council consists of eighty-one members elected by mixed-member...
the following areas: Makhado Local Municipality, with 350,000 people; Thulamela Local Municipality, with 370,000 people; Musina Local Municipality, with...
day-to-day lives. Mapungubwe predates the settlements at Great Zimbabwe, Thulamela and Dzata. It is believed that people left Mapungubwe for Great Zimbabwe...
Gauteng Sedan Beehive stone huts in Free State Tlokwe Ruins in Gauteng Thulamela in Kruger National Park, Limpopo Similar ruins outside South Africa Bumbusi...
against the name Vhembe in favour of the name Limpopo. The Dzata ruins in Thulamela Local Municipality once served as the main settlement and capital of the...
The seat of Mutale Local Municipality was Mutale. It is now part of Thulamela and Musina Local Municipalities. The 2001 census divided the municipality...
member of Lincoln's Inn. In addition, du Plessis is an associate tenant at Thulamela Chambers in Johannesburg. He was also an associate fellow in international...
Municipality (80,000 people), Makhado Local Municipality (170,000 people), Thulamela Local Municipality (220,000 people), City of Tshwane (280,000 people)...
Community Library Saselamani Public Library Tzaneen District Library Thulamela Public library Xihlovo Library Marble-Hall Public Library Lebowakgomo...
2021. "Thulamela Gold Theft". SAHRIS. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2021. Dias, Tereasa (7 April 2018). "No breakthrough in Thulamela artefact...
502 Country South Africa Province Limpopo District Vhembe Municipality Thulamela Main Place Thohoyandou Area • Total 1.65 km2 (0.64 sq mi) Population...
Eric "Tower" Mathoho (born 1 May 1990 in Thohoyandou) is a South African football central defender. He currently plays for Kaizer Chiefs and South Africa...
the Zambezi one finds very few stone ruins. Great Zimbabwe, Khami, and Thulamela uses the Zimbabwean style. Tsotho/Tswana architecture represents the Transvaal...
party, it contested the 2016 municipal elections, aiming to rescue the Thulamela Local Municipality and govern with traditional leaders. It finished seventh...
parts of Bolobedu (Northern Sotho speaking), Malamulele was merged with Thulamela Local Municipality and Lulekani was merged with Namakgale to form a new...
Name Region Local Municipality District Remarks / New Name Thabazimbi Bushveld Thohoyandou Soutpansberg Thulamela Vhembe Tzaneen Valley of the Olifants...
Mulalo Doyoyo FRSA (13 August 1970 - 11 March 2024) was a South African engineer, inventor, and professor. Doyoyo was a researcher in applied mechanics...
Malamulele, Tshikonelo, Mulenzhe, Pietboy, and Khakhanwa areas of the Thulamela Local Municipality in order to create a new municipality. In 2016, residents...
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