SANParks.org Forums

Some pictures of the ruins , the picture of the cliff amazingly resembles a human face .

Makahana apparently lived on top of the cliff from which subjects who failed a test were forced to stand holding an animal skin taught between them untill they fell off the edge from exhaustion .
The test reputedly involved drinking a mixture of milk and Makahana's excrement , if victim the vomited , the cliff treatment was the penalty .

Part of the ruins , there was a perfectly shaped stone-wall type throne there on my previous visit which Makahana reputedly used , but animals have apparently demolished it , elephant dung was evident there and up the steep pathway from the south .

The throne offered this view in an easterly direction down the Levhuvu river gorge .

Thanks for the shots, Ndloti. That view down the Levuvhu gorge is beautiful and brings back memories of some great walks at Nyalaland and the spectacular scenery. There have been many stories about Makahane and no doubt some have been embellished a bit as time passed, but interesting.
The steep footpath down to the river is no doubt still there. There is a big baobab at the base of the cliff in which a pair of Crowned Eagles used to nest. Would be interesting to know if they are still there.

I assume these ruins are much younger than others in the area , as the trails rangers mentioned that early travellers found human bones at the foot of the cliff .


There is a steep path leading in an easterly direction down to the river .

A game using stones was played on this rock on the floodplain below the hill . I think a very similar game is still played by locals .

These fossilised spinal bones of a prehistoric animal were arranged on the ground to the south of the hill by researchers who have visited the area .

david wrote:

ndloti wrote:These fossilised spinal bones of a prehistoric animal were arranged on the ground to the south of the hill by researchers who have visited the area .

this makes me wonder - why has the fossil not been gathered in and studied? Non-Karoo fossils are almost as rare as birds wotzits under a cuckoo clock ..... do the palaeontologists know its there?

Christopher , the guide seen kneeling in one of the photos , said that palaentologists had in fact placed them there , but why they were left there for animals to possibly disperse , I really would like to know ... perhaps I should enquire .

Hi ndloti

From an old map c.1981, Ruins of Makahana (or Makahanja), forefather of the Venda people overlooked the Luvuvhu River Gorge from Makahanja Koppie and in particular overlooked the Madzaringwe Valley. Not having been there myself I can only go by a map which could be incorrect.

Great shots and info from a spectacular area ...

MV