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We may never know why the Swahili built Gede so far from the ocean nor what caused them to abandon their village yet its quite obvious why one would want to visit this ruin: Gede is one of the best preserved Swahili settlements on the Kenyan Coast. Lost to baobabs and tamarinds for over 300 years this extensive site once suppoted a population of 2500. The most interesting ruins include a palace, Great Mosque and complex water system. Archealogists believe the site was first settled in the 12th century and reached its peak in the 15th century. The regal tombs and distant artifacts uncovered at Gede suggest that it was an important trade center and prosperous village. Theories of Gede's ruin include a Wazimba raid in 1589, removal of the Sheikh of Malindi, a depleted water supply, and fear of the Galla, a nomadic ethnic group from Somalia. But as no written records exist there are no definitive answers.