Mosi-oa-Tunya

Capital of the Tswana Kingdom. Mosi-os-Tunya is Lothi for "the Smoke that Thunders," and is a large waterfall where the Zambezi River falls into a series of gorges. These gorges are pockmarked with carved archways, some more elaborate and decorated than others.

History

The area, although celebrated for it's beauty, was unable to be settled by men, due to the nature of the gorges. Feral dragons were also unable to live there for lack of natural dwelling spots. The Sotho-Tswana people were the first to move into the region, and established it as their capital, which further established the tribal inter-connections. Once established, the dragon-ancestors desired to have more permanent shelters, and directed the first attempts at cave-drilling. This drilling, in addition to creating shelter, also allowed the discovery of both gold and precious jewels.

Physical Features

For a considerable distance above the falls, the Zambezi flows over a level sheet of basalt, in a shallow valley bounded by low and distant sandstone hills. The river's course is dotted with numerous tree-covered islands, which increase in number as the river approaches the falls. There are no mountains, escarpments, or deep valleys which might be expected to create a waterfall, only flat plateau extending hundreds of kilometres in all directions.

The falls are formed as the full width of the river plummets in a single vertical drop into a chasm 60–120 metres (200–400 ft) wide, carved by its waters along a fracture zone in the basalt plateau. The depth of the chasm, called the First Gorge, varies from 80 metres (262 ft) at its western end to 108 metres (360 ft) in the centre. The only outlet to the First Gorge is a 110-metre-wide (360 ft) gap about two-thirds of the way across the width of the falls from the western end, through which the whole volume of the river pours into the Victoria Falls gorges.

There are two islands on the crest of the falls that are large enough to divide the curtain of water even at full flood. At less than full flood, additional islets divide the curtain of water into separate parallel streams.

Gorges

The whole volume of the Zambezi River pours through the First Gorge's 110-metre-wide (360 ft) exit for a distance of about 150 metres (500 ft), then enters a zigzagging series of gorges designated by the order in which the river reaches them. Water entering the Second Gorge makes a sharp right turn and has carved out a deep pool. Reached via a steep footpath from the north-eastern side, it is about 150 metres (500 ft) across. Its surface is smooth at low water, but at high water is marked by enormous, slow swirls and heavy boiling turbulence. Objects that are swept over the falls, including the occasional hippo or even human, are frequently found swirling about here or washed up at the north-east end of the Second Gorge.

The principal gorges are:

• First Gorge: the one the river falls into at Victoria Falls
• Second Gorge: 250 m south of falls, 2.15 km long (270 yd south, 2350 yd long)
• Third Gorge: 600 m south, 1.95 km long (650 yd south, 2100 yd long)
• Fourth Gorge: 1.15 km south, 2.25 km long (1256 yd south, 2460 yd long)
• Fifth Gorge: 2.55 km south, 3.2 km long (1.5 mi south, 2 mi long)
• Songwe Gorge: 5.3 km south, 3.3 km long, (3.3 mi south, 2 mi long) named after the small Songwe River coming from the north-east, and the deepest at 140 m (460 ft), at the end of the dry season.
• Batoka Gorge: the gorge below the Songwe is called the Batoka Gorge (which is also used as an umbrella name for all the gorges). It is about 120 kilometres (75 mi) long (the straight line distance to its end is about 80 kilometres (50 mi) east of the falls) and takes the river through the basalt plateau to the valley in which Lake Kariba now lies.

The walls of the gorges are nearly vertical and generally about 120 metres (400 ft) high, but the level of the river in them varies by up to 20 metres (65 ft) between wet and dry seasons.

Man-Made Features

In the gorges south of the falls are the dwellings carved into the sides. The more intricate archways are polished marble walls, and inlaid with ivory and gold, making them quite elaborate. There are also less intricate archways, used to house prisoners who work the fields.

Amphitheater

North of the gorges and falls, on the basaltic plain next to the Zambezi River, the people of the Tswana Kingdom built cairns of stones, serving as signposts, which led to a large amphitheater. The amphitheater was built using the drymortar method of fitting huge stones together, and was formed in an oval shape. The amphitheater was built with seating made in tiers; the lower tiers much more elaborate than the upper tiers. Intermixed with the tiers designed for humans are large stalls for dragons.

References

1. Sipho Tsuluka Dlamini. The Twsana Kingdom - A Brief History. London, Chapman & Hall, Ltd. 1838