The Malindi Kingdom was a Bantu civilization on the eastern coast of Africa, specifically the modern Kenya, from approximately the 9th through 15th centuries. History reveals their noteworthy cultural and trade crossroads between the Bantu and Arab peoples, and also trades with Ming China, India, and Portugal. Pottery products from all three regions have been found there dating to between the 13th and 15th centuries.[1]
Traces of pottery originating from the Ming dynasty have led to speculations that the Chinese diplomat and explorer Zheng He might have visited the town in the early 15th century. A team of archaeologists financed by the Chinese government spent several years excavating a site near Mambrui without finding any conclusive evidence supporting the theory.[2][3][4]