East Africa’s Great Trading Centers Kilwa-one of many trading cities along the coast of East Africa. Kilwa was an Islamic city with a royal palace and lush orchards and gardens. Kilwa’s rulers charged taxes on all goods that entered their port. These taxes made Kilwa rich. Kilwa was described as one of the most beautiful and best-constructed towns in the world.

Aksum, a Center of Trade & Christianity Aksum was located in present-day Ethiopia, and it was an important East African center of trade. Although Aksum was located in the mountains, it controlled a trading port at Adulis on the Red Sea. One of the main trade goods they controlled was ivory. Ivory, the white material from elephant tusk, was highly valued for carving. They also exchanged beliefs and ideas. During the 300s, King Ezana of Aksum learned about a new religion-Christianity. He soon became a Christian himself and made Christianity the official religion of his kingdom. The Muslim conquest of the coast ended the trade that had given Aksum its power and wealth.

Lalibela and the Spread of Christianity After Askum had lost power, the Christian kings of the region built churches and monasteries. But these kings did not build new capital. Instead, they moved from place to place around the kingdom. They lived in royal tents. Many neighboring lands converted to Islam, but present-day Ethiopia remained Christian. Cut off in their mountainous home, the Ethiopian people had little direct contact with other Christian people. Their churches developed unique customs and traditions. In one such tradition, churchgoers rest their foreheads against the outside wall of a church and kiss it to show respect.

Another unique feature of the region’s Christianity is a group of churches built about A.D. 1200 under King Lalibela. The king had its people build new churches-but not from the ground up. Instead, the people were to carve the churches down into the solid red rock. The churches are in a town named Lalibela in honor of the king. These fascinating churches are still used today by the Christians of Ethiopia.

The City-State of Kilwa After Muslims gained control of Indian Ocean trade, trade centers developed along the east coast of Africa. Each of these ports was a city-state, a city with its own government that controls much of the surrounding land. Contact between Africans and Arabs in Kilwa and other coastal city-states led to a new culture and language. Called Swahili, this Bantu language had words borrowed from Arabic. It was spoken all along the East African coast. Most people on this coast converted to Islam. Portugal took over Kilwa and the other coastal city-states. But the influence of Swahili culture remained. Islam and Swahili are both still important in the region today.

Great Zimbabwe Great Zimbabwe -powerful southeastern African city. It grew rich and powerful through trade. Most people in this area were poor farmers. For those who were better off, large herds of cattle were an important forms of wealth. Riches of all were the leaders who controlled the gold trade. Historians believed Great Zimbabwe reached its peak before the early 1400s. By 1500, the city had fallen. Two possible causes for the collapse of Great Zimbabwe: Trade routes may have moved and farmers may have overused the soil.