The town of Kua was settled as early as the 12th century, though the standing ruins date mostly from the early 16th century to 1829 when the town was destroyed by Sakalava raiders from Madagascar.
The main settlement complex is a 12 hectare site containing 13 complex structures, 31 large coral stone enclosures, 6 mosques and at least 4 cemeteries. There are also remains of wells, indoor toilets and ablution facilities. A little to the south of the main settlement cluster there are more scattered stone masonry remains. All of the visible remains were coral stone masonry structures, often featuring elaborate plaster work and decorative niches, as well as some Chinese porcelain inlays. There are also more ephemeral remains of wattle and daub structures that interspersed the stone ruins. The full extent of the town hasn't been exactly determined yet because of the overgrown nature of the site.
"Indicators of early settlement and trade—including Islamic and Chinese ceramics dating to the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and currency from mainland Tanzania—have been found in the ruins, while Portuguese accounts from the sixteenth century note the great wealth of the Kua people." -World Monuments Fund
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