Kilwa Kisiwani

 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.