10 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ZIMBABWE
Before 1980, Zimbabwe was named Rhodesia. The name Rhodesia came from the British colonialist, Cecil Rhodes, who was the ruler at the time. Rhodesia covered both the countries that is now known as Zimbabwe and Zambia. Zambia being North Rhodesia and Zimbabwe formally known as Southern Rhodesia.
Because Zimbabwe only became an independent state in 1980 there are many people (outside of Zimbabwe, and usually the older generation) who still talks about Zimbabwe as Rhodesia.
In the 1950’s the government funded an incentive to discover new beryllium and lithium mines, but instead of new metal deposits, they found emeralds.
This first stone was discovered about 5 kms west-southwest of the confluence of the Nuanetsi and Mutsime Rivers and was named “Vulcan”. After more mining at the same spot where the first emerald was found, more and more emerald stones were found and it later became the first emerald mine, called “Zeus”.
The name “Sandawana” in “Sandawana emeralds” refers to both the place and an African Folklore about a mythical tale about a “red-haired-animal”. The folklore says that the owner of one of these animals’ red hairs will have good fortune for the rest of their lives. Like the folklore, the Sandawana emeralds are said to also bear good luck to their owners.
There are also other emerald mines in Zimbabwe which still function, but the Zeus claim at Sandawana has given the most consistent flow of emeralds through time.
King Solomon, a biblical figure in the Christian faith, received a cargo gold from Ophir every three years. It is theorized that Ophir, the place from where he received his gold, could be in Africa - and could actually be Great Zimbabwe.
As further evidence, Ophir was identified in Milton’s Paradise Lost among other works of literature and science. Although not officially recognized as the mining place of King Solomon’s gold, the theory draws enough attention to make it noteworthy.
If you think South Afri
