Gede ruins are the remains of a town previously inhabited by the Swahili people from as early as the 11th century. Its name comes from the Oromo word that means ‘precious’. The ruins are near the Kenyan coast and are within the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. The ruins contain a wide variety of structures including houses, mosques and tombs that are centuries old. At its peak in the 15 century, Gede had a population of about 2500 people. The town was later abandoned during the 17th century. Several theories have been put forward to explain its abandonment including raids, conflicts with neighbouring city states as well as drying up of the wells. Gede ruins was declared a UNESCO world heritage site due to historical significance.