Why Great Zimbabwe Was Abandoned

Great Zimbabwe was abandoned in the 15th century due to a combination of factors:

• Climate Change: Prolonged droughts, water shortages, crop failures.
• Political Instability: Internal conflicts, weakened central authority, disrupted trade.
• Trade Shifts: Rise of coastal ports, changing networks reduced its importance.
• Resource Depletion: Overuse of timber and gold.
• Social/Economic Changes: Loss of cohesion, shifting structures.
• Disease: Malaria and other illnesses.

The site remains a crucial archaeological window into pre-colonial African civilization.