Concept:Great Zimbabwe was an ancient stone city built by the Shona civilization in south-eastern Africa.
Explanation:The Shona people constructed Great Zimbabwe between the 11th and 15th centuries.
It served as the capital of a powerful Shona kingdom and a major trading centre.
The city is famous for its massive stone walls erected without mortar, showing great engineering skill.
The Shona economy thrived on cattle herding and the trade of gold and ivory with coastal merchants.
Great Zimbabwe declined around the 15th century, but its ruins remain a symbol of African achievement.
Option A is wrong because the Swahili were coastal city-states, not the builders of Great Zimbabwe.
Option B is wrong because the Mutapa Empire rose only after Great Zimbabwe was already abandoned.
Option C is wrong because the Zulu kingdom developed much later in southern Africa, far from this site.
Archaeological evidence confirms that the ancestors of the modern Shona people built the city.
Today, the ruins are recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Answer:D. The Shona