obvious that the process employed by the ancient
Egyptians for crushing, smelting, and forming into
ingots was exactly the same as that employed by the
ancient inhabitants of Zimbabwe ; which fact, when
taken in conjunction with the vast amount of evidence
of ancient cult, ancient construction, and
ancient art, is, I think, conclusive that the gold-
fields of Mashonaland formed one at least of the
sources from which came the gold of Arabia, and
B E V E L L E D ED G E O F G O LD -SM E L T IN G FU R N A C E
that the forts and towns which ran up the whole
length of this gold-producing country were made to
protect their men engaged in this industry. The
cumulative evidence is greatly in favour of the gold
diggers being of Arabian origin, before the Sabaso-
Himyaritic period in all probability, who did work
for and were brought closely into contact with both
Egypt and Phoenicia, penetrating to many countries
unknown to the rest of the world. The Bible is full
of allusions to the wealth of Arabia in gold and other
things. Ezekiel tells us that the Sabseans were merchants
in gold for the markets of Tyre. Aristeas
tells us that a large quantity of spices, precious
stones, and gold was brought to Borne Sea tcov ’Apa-
fioiv, not from Arabia, but by the Arabians. The
testimony of all travellers in Arabia is to the effect
that little or no gold could have come from the
Arabian peninsula itself; it is, therefore, almost
certain that the country round Zimbabwe formed
C R U C IB L E S FO R SM E L T IN G GOLD FO U N D AT Z IM B A BW E
one at least of the spots from which the 4 Thesaurus
Arabum ’ came. Egyptian monuments also point to
the wealth of the people of Punt, and the ingots of
gold which they sent as tribute to Queen Hatasou.
No one, of course, is prepared to say exactly where
the kingdom of Punt was ; the consensus of opinion
is that it was Yemen, in the south of Arabia. But
suppose it to be there, or suppose it to be on the
coast of Africa, opposite Arabia, or even suppose
it to be Zimbabwe itself, the question is the same: