It might well be asked why these old Arabs left their goods behind them. The fickle policy of successive Monomotapas might be a sufficient explanation of their apparently hasty exodus. According to Portuguese records Kapranzine, the Monomotapa in 1620, sided with the Portuguese as against the local Arabs, and the succeeding Monomotapa “Pedro” in 1643 maintained this policy. But the disappearance of the Arab traders from Renders Ruins will in all probability always remain an unsolved enigma. But one question may be asked with regard to the beads found here—Were they “beads of Cambay”? A large piece of coral still in perfect condition was found with the Arab articles. It has been stated, with what truth the author cannot say, that finely ground coral powder makes an excellent metal polish, and that the Arabs and Indian metal-workers on the coast use it for this purpose. Certainly the Arab traders up country would constantly require to refurbish their brass goods, and so keep them attractive for sale to the natives. Fragments of coral have been found in other ruins at Zimbabwe, also at ruins in different parts of Southern Rhodesia very much further inland from the coast than is Zimbabwe. [Illustration: Section of Floors of part of N^o. 6 ENCLOSURE Elliptical Temple looking South-East & shewing locations of “Finds” (1902–3) 1. _Modern Kafir articles & traces of Iron smelting furnaces._ 2. _Excellent native pottery, pottery gold scorifiers, iron pincers, beaten gold, Arabian glass, burnishing stones, coral, very old yellow & green beads, large iron nails, crude soapstone moulds, Nankin china._ 3. _Fragments of soapstone beams._] CHAPTER VII NOTES ON ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE AT GREAT ZIMBABWE[40] Introduction—Durability of Walls—Dilapidations—Makalanga Walls within the ruins—Remains of Native Huts found in Ruins—Passages—Entrances and Buttresses. Since 1892, when the late Theodore Bent published his work on _The Ruined Cities of Mashonaland_, and 1893, when Sir John Willoughby issued his monograph on _Further Explorations at Zimbabwe_, though much has been discovered concerning the varying architectural types of ancient ruins throughout Southern Rhodesia, little has been added to our previous meagre store of information concerning the important group of ruins at Great Zimbabwe.