QUESTION $1$

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

MAPHUNGUBWE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE

The ancient city of Mapungubwe $($meaning "hill of the jackal"$)$ is an Iron Age archaeological site in the Limpopo province on the border between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana, $75$ km from Messina. It sits close to the point where the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers meet. One thousand years ago, Mapungubwe appears to have been the centre of the largest known kingdom in the African sub$-$continent. The civilization thrived as a sophisticated trading centre from around $1200$ to $1300$ AD$,$ trading gold and ivory with China, India and Egypt.

The site was "discovered" on $31$ December $1932,$ when a local informant, Mowena, led E$.$S$.$J$.$ van Graan $($farmer and prospector$),$ his son and three others to Greefswald farm on Mapungubwe Hill. On the hill, they noticed stone walls and on closer inspection, they recovered gold and iron artifacts, pottery and glass beads. Van Graan's son recognised the academic value of the site and contacted the head of the Department of History at the University of Pretoria, Professor Leo Fouch$.$ As a result of his intervention, the University negotiated with the owner of the property, E$.$E$.$ Collins. In a legal agreement, the University took ownership of the gold and other artifacts and secured an option and a contract for excavation rights. The University also successfully requested a postponement of prospecting, mining and related activities on Greefswald. In June $1933,$ Greefswald was bought by the Government and excavation rights were granted to the University of Pretoria. The University established an Archaeological Committee, which from $1933$ to $1947$ oversaw research and excavations $($read more about the excavations$).$

Mapungubwe Hill is $300$ m long, broad at one end, tapering at the other. It is only accessible by means of two very steep and narrow paths that twist their way to the summit, and yet $2000$ tons of soil have been artificially transported to the very top by a prehistoric people of unknown identity.