Written by – Tawanda Mushweshwe
On 7 January 2026, I visited the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) Headquarters in Harare as part of my preparations for the upcoming archaeological fieldwork at Ziwa National Monument, scheduled for early this year.
During the visit, I met with the Deputy Executive Director of NMMZ, Mr Munyikwa. Our discussion spanned a wide range of research fields, including geology, sedimentology, archaeology, entomology, and palaeontology. We identified several critical research gaps across these disciplines in Zimbabwe and agreed that multidisciplinary and international collaborations offer a strong pathway to addressing them, with the potential to significantly enrich Zimbabwe’s research landscape and contribute to broader regional and global scholarship.
Zimbabwe Museum of Human Sciences in Harare.
Following my visit to the NMMZ headquarters, I crossed the street to the Zimbabwe Museum of Human Sciences. The purpose of this visit was to inquire whether the Museum’s storage facilities hold botanical remains (seeds) and fieldwork reports from previous archaeological research conducted at Ziwa. I was referred to Mrs E. M. Mundopa, Curator of Archaeology, who informed me that the Museum would be able to fully assist with these requests.
In addition, I specifically inquired about the availability of seeds recovered from past archaeological excavations. Mrs Mundopa confirmed that such materials are indeed held in the Museum’s collections. This inquiry was made on behalf of DC7, Thamary Mukuya, who had requested that I explore this possibility. I hope that access to these materials will significantly benefit Thamary’s research.
Overall, my visits to both the NMMZ Headquarters and the Zimbabwe Museum of Human Sciences were highly successful and provided valuable insights into potential future collaborative research opportunities. I am hopeful that, prior to the commencement of fieldwork, I will be able to return to the Museum to review previous excavation records. This will help refine the selection of areas that have already been investigated and identify new locations for excavation. I am optimistic that my discussion with the Deputy Executive Director marks the beginning of a meaningful and impactful collaboration within Zimbabwe’s — and Africa’s — research arena.
🌱 Read more about Tawanda’s research and his previous field visit
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