Item - Plan of uMgungundlovu by H. J. Hofstede - image taken from a book

Attributions and conjectures

[Source - Chloe Rushovich for FHYA, 2018, using information provided by Gavin Whitelaw: Illustration of uMgungundlovu which appeared in Helperus Johannes Hofstede's book entitled 'Geschiedenis van de Oranje-Vrijstaat: in verband met eene korte geschiedenis der aangrenzende kolonien, vooral der Kaapkolonie, volgens bezworen verklaringen der voortrekkers, en de archieven, documenten en proclamatien, met schetsen en kaarten opgeluisterd' published by DA Thieme in 1876. This illustration is a redrawn version of the illustration which appeared in William Clifford Holden's book 'History of the Colony of Natal, South Africa', published by A. Heylin in 1855. This illustration correctly represents the layout of the iBheje area at Dingaan's Kraal. Gavin Whitelaw states that the accuracy of the illustration is interesting because Holden never saw a living uMgungundlovu, and posits that the information used by the illustrator to provide the illustration came from Allan F. Gardiner, who saw the iBheje area before the completion of the enlargement of uMgungundlovu, when Dingane's large hut was located on the left/east side of the site, as is indicated in the illustration. After the enlargement the large hut was relocated to the west side of the site.]