Golden Rhinoceros of Mapungubwe

Medieval artifact from the Kingdom of Mapungubwe

Golden Rhinoceros of Mapungubwe

Golden Rhinoceros of Mapungubwe

Material| Gold
Created| Kingdom of Mapungubwe (1075–1220)
Discovered| 1932
Kingdom of Mapungubwe (in Mapungubwe National Park, Limpopo, South Africa)
Present location| Mapungubwe Collection, University of Pretoria Museums

The golden rhinoceros of Mapungubwe is a medieval artifact, made from wood which is covered in thin sheets of gold, from the medieval Kingdom of Mapungubwe, which is located in modern-day South Africa. It was found on a royal grave on Mapungubwe Hill in 1932[1][2][3] by archaeologists from the University of Pretoria. The artifact is described as being "small enough to stand in the palm of your hand."[4][5]

From 26 October 2016 to 27 February 2017 it was on display at the British Museum as part of an exhibition celebrating the art of South Africa. [6]

The site reveals the existence of a ruling elite, living separately in a hilltop settlement. This is the first known example of a class-based society in southern Africa. This artifact shows the Mapungubwe as a wealthy trading centre.[7]

## See also[edit]

* Order of Mapungubwe
* Mapungubwe Collection

## References[edit]

1. ^ Steyn, Maryna (1 December 2007). "The Mapungubwe Gold Graves Revisited". The South African Archaeological Bulletin. 62 (186): 140–146. JSTOR 20474969.
2. ^ Gardner, Guy A. (1937). Mapungubwe, Ancient Bantu Civilization on the Limpopo: Reports on excavations at Mapungubwe (Northern Transvaal) from February 1933 to June 1935, edited by Leo Fouché. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
3. ^ Duffey, Alex (2012). "Mapungubwe: Interpretation of the Gold Content of the Original Gold Burial M1, A620". Journal of African Archaeology. 10 (2): 175–187. doi:10.3213/2191-5784-10223. hdl:2263/42472.
4. ^ Smith, David (17 August 2015). "British Museum may seek loan of the golden rhinoceros of Mapungubwe". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
5. ^ York, Geoffrey (10 February 2012). "The return of the Golden Rhino". The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail Inc. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
6. ^ "South Africa -- the art of a nation". The British Museum. The British Museum. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
7. ^ Nelson, Jo (2015). Historium. China: Big Pictures Press. p. 10.

## External links[edit]

* Objects by Gold rhinoceros figurine, at SAHRA