Department of Antiquities
The Antiquities is one among the divisions within the Department of Museums and Antiquities, responsible for conserve, presentation and develop historical sites that have been protected legally under the 2002 Act no. 11, which wrote in 2003 There are 85 sites, including Historical Caves protected by law.
Roles are as follows.
a) To initiate, to develop and to review policy and cultural heritage law.
b) Collecting, documenting and conserving architectural heritage including traditional structure.
c) Co-ordinating and performing archaeological research and related activities.
d) Issuing permits to local and foreign researchers for excavation and collections of objects.
e) Among the division of antiquities role is to conduct archaeological research. The sites which excavation took place
are old town of Unguja Ukuu, Machaga caves, (Pete), Kuumbi (Jambiani), Mwannampambe (Makunduchi), Haroun Ruins at (Chwaka), Ras mkumbuu (Chake chake) At recently, our experts work together with experts from University of Dar es salaam did research at the Kiwengwa cave whereby many objects were collected and now there are in the process of analysis.
From that research artefacts were recovered. Some of the findings helped to understand importance of historical information ancient of Zanzibar history and its development. For example the oldest city of east African coast of Unguja Ukuu which started in 500 A.D. and the Zanzibar history started since 20,000 ago before Christ.