In Kenya tourism, the Coast is among the top travel destinations, with a wide array of tourist attractions. The mysterious Gedi ruins are one such Coastal attraction. The ruins lie about 15km south of Malindi and 100km north of Mombasa in the Kenyan coast. These remnants of the ancient town of Gedi are found deep in the Arabuko Sokoke forest, and are one of Kenya's greatest unexplored treasures.
Apart from the common belief that the town was abandoned in the early 17th century, little else is known about this ancient coastal town that still puzzles both archaeologists and historians. The reason why the town was abandoned is not documented but one school of thought believes that unknown invaders destroyed the town in the 17th century. Many researchers dispute this theory because there is no evidence of any disturbance or battle in this ancient Swahili settlement whose population was estimated at 2500 people.
Another school of thought thinks that the town residents abandoned it as a result of receding ocean waters which caused a reduction in water availability in the water wells. Other people also allege that the entire population was wiped away by the deadly and incurable Black Plague introduced by the Portuguese.
A relatively recent theory purports that the Gedi townspeople fled when faced with the threat of an invasion by the Galla, an inland tribe reputed to have been very hostile. However, there is no mention of any such large scale evacuation around that time in the local recorded history.
The Gedi ruins were declared historic monuments in 1927. There has been a lot of excavation and preservation work ever since, revealing large areas of this ancient town. Among the discoveries are the palace, the pillar tombs, and a great mosque. However, despite all research and exploration works, no one is certainly sure of what happened to the town and residents of Gedi.
Between 1948 and 1958, excavations at Gedi ruins uncovered an Indian lamp, porcelain from China, spanish scissors, and Venetian beads among other items that point to engagement in some form of international trade by citizens of Gedi.
In 1948, the Kenya government declared Gedi ruins a national park. The area has since become one of the top tourist attractions in the Kenya coast. With its pillars and stone walls, and ruined mosques and tombs in the midst of trees, Gedi ruins still remain a mysterious place to visit.
Gedi remains an oasis of tranquility to date, though surrounded by modern day villages. The ruins are overgrown with plants and flowers. Getting to Gedi is easy from Mombasa, Malindi, or Watamu. A small museum in the area displays ancient artifacts retrieved through excavation works. These include Arab wares, Chinese porcelain, and Phoenician artifacts. More Gede ruins artifacts are also displayed at the Fort Jesus museum in Mombasa. - 16955
Apart from the common belief that the town was abandoned in the early 17th century, little else is known about this ancient coastal town that still puzzles both archaeologists and historians. The reason why the town was abandoned is not documented but one school of thought believes that unknown invaders destroyed the town in the 17th century. Many researchers dispute this theory because there is no evidence of any disturbance or battle in this ancient Swahili settlement whose population was estimated at 2500 people.
Another school of thought thinks that the town residents abandoned it as a result of receding ocean waters which caused a reduction in water availability in the water wells. Other people also allege that the entire population was wiped away by the deadly and incurable Black Plague introduced by the Portuguese.
A relatively recent theory purports that the Gedi townspeople fled when faced with the threat of an invasion by the Galla, an inland tribe reputed to have been very hostile. However, there is no mention of any such large scale evacuation around that time in the local recorded history.
The Gedi ruins were declared historic monuments in 1927. There has been a lot of excavation and preservation work ever since, revealing large areas of this ancient town. Among the discoveries are the palace, the pillar tombs, and a great mosque. However, despite all research and exploration works, no one is certainly sure of what happened to the town and residents of Gedi.
Between 1948 and 1958, excavations at Gedi ruins uncovered an Indian lamp, porcelain from China, spanish scissors, and Venetian beads among other items that point to engagement in some form of international trade by citizens of Gedi.
In 1948, the Kenya government declared Gedi ruins a national park. The area has since become one of the top tourist attractions in the Kenya coast. With its pillars and stone walls, and ruined mosques and tombs in the midst of trees, Gedi ruins still remain a mysterious place to visit.
Gedi remains an oasis of tranquility to date, though surrounded by modern day villages. The ruins are overgrown with plants and flowers. Getting to Gedi is easy from Mombasa, Malindi, or Watamu. A small museum in the area displays ancient artifacts retrieved through excavation works. These include Arab wares, Chinese porcelain, and Phoenician artifacts. More Gede ruins artifacts are also displayed at the Fort Jesus museum in Mombasa. - 16955
About the Author:
Andrew Muigai is the Managing Director of Africapoint.com, a Kenya travel agency that organises Kenya Safaris and reservations for Hotels in Kenya.
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