Chibuene

Chibuene is a significant archaeological site on the southern coast of Mozambique, occupied intermittently from the late Iron Age through the Early Modern Period. Initially settled as a farming community around 400 CE, the site became a pivotal trading hub in the Indian Ocean trade network by the 7th century. Chibuene served as a gateway for glass beads and other trade goods to the African interior. The site's significance in this network waned by the end of the first millennium CE, resulting in a shift towards local agriculture and herding. By the 13th century, Manyikeni influence is evident in the ceramics found at the site. Chibuene was later reoccupied around 1450 CE, coinciding with evidence of gold metallurgy and trade with Great Zimbabwe. Despite environmental challenges, the site's strategic location facilitated diverse subsistence strategies and maintained its regional trade importance.