Songo Mnara

Songo Mnara is a stone town on the Swahili Coast in southern Tanzania which was occupied from the 14th to 16th centuries. Songo Mnara has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In total, archaeologists have found six mosques, four cemeteries, and two dozen house blocks along with three enclosed open spaces on the island. Songo Mnara was constructed from rough-coral and mortar. This stonetown was built as one of many trade towns on the Indian Ocean.

Archaeologists have been analyzing the layout of stone towns on the Swahili coast, mainly focusing on the relationship of the mosques and houses, in order to understand the role of the Swahili coast in Islamic culture, the functions of specific towns, and the complex economic and ritual process of land ownership. Open spaces in towns were used for both functional purposes for social organization. Cemeteries are found both inside and outside the town walls. The layout of Songo Mnara is typical of stone towns along the Swahili coast, though its wall is a unique feature.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songo_Mnara

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