Djenne-Jeno
Just 2km from the town of Djenne lies the ancient town
of Djenne-Jeno. Although it is difficult to see much more than some
remnants of the handmade bricks of a building and tons of pottery shards,
the site is the oldest known sub-saharan city dating back to the third
century BC. A highly developed society of about 10,000 inhabitants,
the site was mysteriously abandoned in the 14th century. Prior to visiting
the site, we went to the Mission Culturelle, where we saw informative
displays including examples of pottery, sculptures, and iron, which
helped give an idea of what was discovered at the site in 1977.
The site of Djenne-Jeno has been repeatedly looted,
with many buried artifacts disappearing. At present, no one is allowed
on the site without being accompanied by a guide from the Mission Culturelle.
Some of the artifacts discovered during legitimate excavation can be
found displayed at the National Museum in Bamako.
For more complete information on Djenne-Jeno and its
excavation, this website may be of interest: http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~anth/arch/brochure/index.html
