Remnants of Stone Age cultures dating back 500,000 years have been discovered in Zimbabwe. It is believed that the San people, now predominantly residing in Botswana’s Kalahari desert, are the direct descendants of these early inhabitants of southern and central Africa. The San were gradually displaced into the desert by Bantu-speaking groups during extensive migrations from the north.
These migrations saw Bantu-speaking populations settling across Africa from Lake Chad to present-day South Africa. The initial Bantu arrivals in Zimbabwe are estimated to have occurred between the 5th and 10th centuries CE. Zimbabwe boasts numerous stone ruins, notably the Great Zimbabwe, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986. While some ruins date back to the 9th century, the most impressive and intricate structures emerged after the 15th century and are attributed to Bantu origins.
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