Bandiagara Escarpment

The Bandiagara - rock massif (French Falaise de Bandiagara ) is located in the Dogon Country in southern Mali. The rock mass begins 100 kilometers east of the regional capital Mopti, and ends 44 kilometers northeast of the city of Bandiagara in the Grandamia massif. It has a length of about 170 km.

Geology and Geography

The rocks of the massif reach a height of 500 m above the low-lying sandy plains of the south. The Ostränder of the plateau are marked by steep escarpments. To the east, the Seno - Gondo - level joins. As a solid, iron-containing and therefore red sandstone massif, the plateau reached in the northeast with the witness mountain Hombori Tondo, also the highest mountain of Mali, a height of 1,115 meters above sea level. To the west, the Paleozoic sandstone layers appear from among the much younger alluvial soil of the Niger Basin ( Niger inland delta ). As a refuge and place of residence of approximately 300,000 people counting people of the Dogon this rocky massif plays a major role.

The cliffs of Bandiagara and about 250 surrounding villages were in 1989 set to the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage and natural heritage. In support of the registration in both groups the list was pointed out the role of the natural conditions for the traditions and life of the Dogon.

Resident

The cave-dwelling tribe of the Tellem, who was later expelled by the popular group, The Dogon, at least since the 10th century lived in the narrow valleys of the massif. Dozens of villages lie at the feet of sandstone massif, this includes Kani Bonzon. The Dogon migrated from this direction in the area and spread during the 14th century to the rest of the plateau, the hill and the steppes of the Seno - Gondo. The erected by the Tellem places of worship were not destroyed by the Dogon, but integrated over time in their own traditions.

In the rock wall a series of cemeteries are embedded, which can be reached only by ladders. Typical of the villages is the low -built venue ( toguna ) with their brushwood roof. Supposedly the low ceiling ensure that excited, jumping up the discussion participants of a palaver to trigger the head and thereby brought to heel while. It is more likely the explanation that the roof is also used as a general whereabouts.

Above the cliff is composed of the 13 villages of Sangha community, which with its numerous religious sites as the cultural center of the Dogon. With the spread of Islam in the 19th century mosques were built right next to the toguna and animist shrines in some villages. More recently, this coexistence of religions seems to be troubled by strictly credulous Muslims.