Manda

The site of a Swahili city-state apparently established in the 9th century and distinguished for its seawalls of coral blocks, each of which weighs up to a ton. Located in the Lamu Archipelago off the coast of Kenya, it had numerous stone-built (and wattle-and-daub) houses. Trade, which seems to have been by barter, was considerable, with the main export probably of ivory. Manda had close trading connections with the Persian Gulf - Siraf in particular. It imported large quantities of Islamic pottery and, in the 9th and 10th centuries, Chinese porcelain. There is evidence of a considerable iron-smelting industry at Manda.

A site located in the Lamu Archipelago off the coast of Kenya, showing evidence for an urban-type settlement with numerous stone-built houses from the 9th century ad onwards. Stone architecture was more advanced than at the contemporary settlement at Kilwa, and imported luxury goods more plentiful. Trade contact with the Persian Gulf appears to have been particularly strong. Local iron-working was well developed by the 12th century, as is confirmed also by Arabic written sources. Despite its prosperous start, Manda’s subsequent development did not match that of Kilwa.