What is the importance of Zimbabwe in the novel, The Ear, the Eye and the Arm?

The origins of Zimbabwe trace to the 11th through 14th centuries and it is believed to have been built originally by the Shona peoples. The original settlement was built on a hilltop nearly invisible to those below, thus affording a measure of security. The original inhabitants of Zimbabwe mined gold which they traded for silk, porcelain and glass beads from China.