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Machihuabili; (Shungu Mbili): the islands Vamlul (Nyororo island) and Famia or Falulu (Thanda Island). Also the Reefs before reaching Mafia and Mandji.

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All these places are only mentioned by Ibn Majid (1470).

Note: Machihuabili; (Shungu Mbili) is two islands on the North: Vamlul and South Falulu. 

Vamlul (Nyororo island)

This island is about 700m by 400m.

Famia or Falulu  (Most recent name is Thanda Island).

It is about 300m by 200m. According to the Africa Pilot 1919 p360: 5 miles south of Niororo island.

Now a private luxury resort.


The reefs before reaching Mafia and Al Masiya, Mandji (also only Ibn Majid).

 

Al Masiya (Bwejuu Island)

Taken from: A Find of Transoceanic Pottery at Bwejuu Island of the Rufiji Delta and Mafia Island, Tanzania: More Clue to the Elusive Ancient Azania’s Metropolis of Rhapta by Mandela Peter Ryano, Felix Arkard Chami.

 

The pottery assemblage recovered includes potsherds of the post-15th century CE periods. These sherds are largely confined to the island’s land surface. Potsherds collected from the underwater area in the south-eastern shore, seem to be of great antiquity and are inconsistent with the known local East African traditions. They are attributable to the ancient transoceanic activities.

The pinkish and the red-brick fabric colour of these sherds invites comparisons with the Roman Terra sigillata ware well discussed by Hayes. Isolated pieces of red-brick fabric colour sherds attributed to the Roman ware have already been reported from some sites on the Mafia archipelago. It is our suggestion that the imported pottery from Bwejuu probably derive their origin from the Mediterranean region, the Red Sea or Middle Eastern and Indian regions. Three dated samples of these sherds have given different dates, one, dating to a period ranging the 1st century BCE to the 7th century CE. Other samples have provided dates ranging 1300–1600 CE and 700–1200 CE  periods. Whereas the date obtained from these last seem to be of the Swahili – or even post-Swahili- period, though none of the sherds exhibited the typical shape and decorative features of the Swahili and post-Swahili traditions.

It is reiterated that the Bwejuu pottery from the underwater sites attributed to a foreign origin suggest an early settlement on the small island that was involved in ancient transoceanic trading activities. This early settlement site was later submerged.

 

Mandji

The small white dot in the north of the Reef called Mange is the sandbank called by Ibn Majid Mandji.

 

Kilva (Jibondo Island)

And on Jibondo island at the coast are the remains of a 15th century mosque.