Kilwa Kisiwani minted its own coins

Kilwa Kisiwani minted its own coins for 500 years.

Kilwa Kisiwani is an island in southern Tanzania.

Kilwa Kisiwani was founded at the start of the 9th century CE.

At its peak, Kilwa had over 10,000 inhabitants.

Moroccan scholar Ibn Battuta visited Kilwa in 1331 CE.

Locally produced unglazed ceramics at Kilwa are called Kitchen Wares.

Many freshwater wells on Kilwa have been used for over a millennium.

The Great Mosque has nine hexagonal columns made from single tree trunks.

Builders constructed the earliest mosque section between 1131 and 1170.

UNESCO designated Kilwa Kisiwani a World Heritage Site in 1981.

Small boats serve Kilwa Kisiwani from the town of Kilwa Masoko.