Earliest habitation was around 400 AD. The site consists of a large main stone enclosure (above and see map) and many other structures built in and around it. Building probably occurred in three phases. Zimbabwe was occupied from the 13th to the 15th centuries by ancestors of the Shona.

Most archaeologists agree that the Zimbabwe-type stone structures were intended to be indicators of status for the dwelling places for the elite. Modern day kings still possess similar dwellings. In short, their first appearance may be regarded as a sign of considerable social and political change.