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Back in 2015, I was on assignment for Archaeology magazine.

After several international flights and a few smaller flights that took me from island

to island, I found myself on a small boat off the coast of East Africa.

We moved along the edge of a mangrove forest toward a small opening in the mesh of roots

and branches.

We found a small wooden dock at the base of a dark cliff and carved into the rock

with stairs that led to the top.

Up there we found ourselves in the stone ruins of a spectacular greeting court.

There were stone blocks carved with decorations, the remains of dozens of rooms, and an elaborate

octagonal bath perched on the edge of the cliff.

It was clear right away that in its day, a day long past, this was an opulent place.

The view was incredible, down a wooded slope to the grasslands and shoreline and blue

waters below.

And out there, a mile or two away, there was once a wealthy city.

Back in the 14th century, it was bustling with trade from Europe, India, Southeast Asia,

...