Samakamand; (Kizimkazi Mkunguni)
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also called Mtendeni; Promontory in the South of Zanzibar.
It was formerly a walled city. The village to the north of it is Kizimkazi Dimbani, where the very old mosque is found.
Taken from: Zanzibar: its history and its people Ingrams, W.H. 1967
Kizimkazi (Mkunguni) was a walled city, the extensive ruins of which still stand. Legend says that it was built by a king named Kiza, the principal mason being called Kizi (whence the name Kizi m kazi). (Kazi means work). Little is told about Kiza save that when an attack was made on the city from the sea by strangers who sought to capture Kizi, he repelled it with Divine aid opportunely sent in the form of clouds of bees, who drove the invaders from their anchorage …….
………. The ruins of Kizimkazi, probably contemporary with the mosque, consist of high walls which at one time apparently cut off a semi-circle of land on the shore. There are small posts or forts at each end.
Kizimkazi Dimbani
The Kizimkazi mosque on the south tip of the island of Zanzibar may be the oldest Islamic building on the East African coast. This mosque is actually located in Dimbani three kilometers northwest of the town of Kizimkazi, which in the twelfth century was regarded as a substantial and walled city. The original mosque was constructed in the early twelfth century as is attested to by an inscription incorporated into the later mosque. The kufic inscription dates it to 500 AH or 1107 AD, predating any other inscription on the coast, though inscribed dates are rare in this region in any case. This and the trefoil mihrab are the signature features of this mosque.
The floriated kufic inscriptions to the left of the mihrab proclaim that Sheikh Said bin Abi Amran Mfaume al Hassan bin Muhammad ordered the mosque to be built in the month of Dhul Kaadi in the year 500 (AH). However, another inscription to the right of the mihrab relays a major rebuilding in 1184 AH or 1772-1773 AD. Thus, most of the fabric of the mosque dates from the eighteenth century, though certain elements from the twelfth century being: the foundation of the original mosque and the north wall that was still standing. The latter contains an ornate prayer niche with the inscription. The trefoil mihrab, dating from the eighteenth century, is said to have influenced the design of many of the nineteenth century mosques built in Zanzibar's Stone Town.
The Kufic inscription in this Mosque has been deciphered as follows, by Monsieur Patricolo:
“Ordered es-Sheikh es-Seyyid Abi Amran Mfaume el
“ Hassan Ibn Mohammed, may God grant him long life
“and destroy his enemy; the building of this mosque
“on the day of Sunday in the month of El Keda in
“the year 500 H .
There are also a number of graves of some interest round the mosque, which, however, may belong to a later period. These graves were described to me as being of the following people:
(1) Mwana Mwatima binti Mfaume Madi Shiraziyeh.
(2) Her son, Mfaume Ali Sherifu.
(3) Sheikh Ali bin Omar Sherifu, a carpenter, one armed, one-legged, but pious withal, and endowed with legendary powers.
(4) Seyyid Abdulla bin Seyyid Almad Sherifu, who was given a drum and a milk-gourd by the sovereign of Kilwa to whom he was related. (The drum is still in existence, and shown at Kizimkazi.)
(5) Sherif Hassan.
Makunduchi
Makunduchi is about 10 km east from Kizimkazi but the two places share the same dialect of Swahili. Makunduchi however is the only Swahili place where they hold Nowruz (Persian New Year) in the Persian month of Mordad (July 23 to August 22), which is concurrent with Maritime Nowruz in Iran.
Taken from: The Medieval History of the Coast of Tanganyika: With special reference to recent archaeological discoveries; Freeman-Grenville.
At Makunduchi, a hoard of Chinese coins broadly representative of the rulers of China from the 7th century to the 13th is described. It comprised: Kao Tsung (618–627): 4; Chen Tsung (998–1023): 7; Jen Tsung (1041–1054): 14; Ying Tsung (1064–3); 3; Shen Tsung (1068–86): 48; Che Tsung (1086–1101): 15; Hui Tsung (1101-9): 21; Kao Tsung (1127–63): 9; Hsiao Tsung (1163-5): 5 Kuang Tsung (1190–5): 1; Ning Tsung (1195–1125): 14; Li Tsung (1225–65): 19; Tu Tsung (1265-75): 8; Uncertain: 8; total: 176.
The hoard was found at Kajengwa, about three miles north - east of Makunduchi, is attested by a letter: I have interviewed the finder, Makame bin Mwalimu Mhadimu of the village mentioned above, who states that he found the coins on the 26th December, 1945, while preparing the ground for planting …..
Entrance to the Mwanampambe archaeological site cave which is also in use for spirit worship. The white clothes seen hanging at the entrance are offerings.
Taken from: Zanzibar and the Swahili Coast from C.30,000 Years Ago - Felix Chami · 2009 ·
Pottery of the EIW (Early Iron Working) period mainly Triangular Incised Ware also called Kwale ware, was known from the site of Unguja Ukuu in Zanzibar (Juma 2004) and a few more had been found in Kajengwa, Makunduchi. Despite the previous argument that Zanzibar had no population in the EIW period, it is now obvious that these communities existed, despite the lack of large sites with material concentration. The dates and pottery of that period are also very clear from the Mwanampambe (in Makunduchi) and Kuumbi caves and it is certain that the distribution of this pottery from Unguja Ukuu down to the Makunduchi-Jambiani sites suggest settlements.
(Note that in total only a few Kwale sherds were found on Zanzibar.)