-Malbaiuni in the bay of Mocambo?

Taken from: JOUANNES Claude, Mare Prasodum …..

Sulayman al-Mahri (Minhaj 71v, 13 and 14) locates at the same latitude Nash 8 Musumbiji (Mozambique; currently in Swahili = Msumbiji) and Malambuni. This last port is therefore probably the bay of Mocambo located just south of Porto de Mozambique. This is the opinion of Tibbets (Arab Navigation, p. 429).

Note: Salt’s map of E. Africa (1808) mentions a name Molembo as the bay immediately to the south of Mozambique island.

However I did not find any information on archaeological work having been done there. And as to where in the bay of Molembo the harbor was is also unknown. 

What I did find: in A manual of Portuguese East Africa by Admiralty 1920

Port Mokambo, an almost circular basin about 4 miles in diameter, is situated at the head of the bay and affords excellent anchorage for large vessels. So important is this harbor that in 1888 the Governor of Mozambique, Augusto de Castilho, considered the advisability of transferring thither the capital of the province, and a close survey of the various channels was made on behalf of the Portuguese Government. At present little use is made of the harbor.

Found in: Africa Pilot: South and east coasts of Africa from Cape of Good Hope to Ras ... By United States. Hydrographic Office 1916.

Port Mokambo (Kivolani Bay), is entered between Ras Kisarahondo and Ras Fugu (Mokambo Point), the entrance channel being about 14 miles in width; it affords anchorage for large vessels. with ample room.

Villages. —Muchelin (Mochila) is the most important village near the Lunga River, on the north. and Kivolani and Lunga on the south, shore, the latter, near Mutabva Point, has a garrison.

Close to Mokambo is found: Sankul (Sheikhdom of 1753–1910).

A report of Sr, Simedes Alberto on Sancul: A tradition is recounted which associates the cemetery with descendants of ‘Ali b. al-Hasan, the first of the Shirazi dynasty at Kilwa, and a tomb at Sancul is reported with an inscription dated 713 A.H. (A.D. 1313-14). This report published in Azania 1970 however has not been repeated or verified since.

-Malbaiuni is Cabaceira Pequena?

Found in: Mozambique Island, Cabaceira Pequena and the Wider Swahili World: An Archaeological Perspective by Diogo V. Oliveira.

Many of these decorative motifs found in Cabaceira Pequena on the ceramics shared affinities with ceramics found at Kilwa-Kiwasani including fifteenth century wheeled ware bowls (see Wynne Jones 2016, 153) alongside well fired wheeled-ware, Kilwa moulded-ware, and blue-and-white Chinese porcelain. As an assemblage, the evidence suggests that the major occupation period of the site likely began towards the fifteenth century and continued into the nineteenth century. Other objects that were common included imported luxury items, such as Chinese porcelains, glass beads, and ceramics that were produced in other regions along the Swahili coast.

The house ruin found at Cabaceira Pequena around which excavations were done. The house itself will not be old. There are still pieces of wood above door and windows.

Note: As Cabaceira Pequena and its close neighbor Cabaceira Grande were already active harbors when the Portuguese arrived, they may have been the Malbaiuni talked about. Because a very active harbor close to Mozambique must have been at least noticed by the Portuguese. And Cabaceira (Gourd in Portuguese) as well as Mesuril were noticed and had early on already become Portuguese parishes.