Kilwa Kisiwani is a community on an island off the coast of present-day
Tanzania in the African Great Lakes region. Historically, it was the
center of the Kilwa Sultanate, a medieval sultanate whose authority at
its height stretched over the entire length of the Swahili Coast.
It is possible to visit the island of Kilwa Kisiwani and most people
base themselves in Kilwa Masoko. The town Kilwa Masoko can be reached by
bus from Dar es Salaam (leaving Mbagala bus stop), and is served by
Coastal Aviation. There are numerous basic guesthouses and a handful of
tourist hotels, mostly spread along Jimbiza beach and the beautiful and
highly regarded Masoko Pwani.
The earliest substantial occupation at Kilwa Kisiwani dates to the
7th/8th centuries AD when the town was made up of rectangular wooden
dwellings and small iron smelting operations. Imported wares from the
Mediterranean were identified among the archaeological levels dated to
this period, indicating that Kilwa was already tied into international
trade at this time.
The remains of two great East African ports admired by early European
explorers are situated on two small islands near the coast. From the
13th to the 16th century, the merchants of Kilwa dealt in gold, silver,
pearls, perfumes, Arabian crockery, Persian earthenware and Chinese
porcelain; much of the trade in the Indian Ocean thus passed through
their hands.
