ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Thulamela

Thulamela is a very old city that was built a long, long time ago by people called the Shona. It is located in a place called South Africa, which is a country far away from where we live.

Thulamela was built on top of a big hill, and it had lots of walls all around it to protect the people who lived there. The walls were made from big stones they found in the area. The city was built so high up because it was easier to protect from any danger or bad people who might want to harm the Shona people.

Inside Thulamela, there were lots of houses where the Shona people lived. These houses were made from clay, which is like a type of mud. They used to shape the clay into bricks, and then they would stack the bricks on top of each other to build their houses.

The people who lived in Thulamela were very clever and made important things like tools and pottery. They also grew their own food, like corn and beans. They had a special place called a garden where they would grow all these yummy fruits and vegetables.

One of the most special things about Thulamela was that they had a special king or queen called a chief. The chief was like the boss of the city and everyone had to listen to what the chief said. The chief would make decisions for the city and protect the people who lived there.

Thulamela was a very important city, and many people would come to visit from other places nearby. They would bring things like gold, ivory, and beads to trade with the people in Thulamela. Trading is like when you exchange something you have for something you want.

Sadly, as time went on, people stopped living in Thulamela, and the city became covered with trees and plants. But people discovered Thulamela again many years later and they found lots of special things like pots, tools, and even gold. These things helped us learn more about the Shona people and how they lived a long time ago.

Today, Thulamela is a special place that is protected, and people can visit it to see the ruins of the old city and learn about the Shona people who lived there. It is like stepping back in time and seeing how things were a very, very long time ago.
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