Djenné-Djenno
| Djenné-Djenno | |
|---|---|
 Archaeological Site of Djenné-Djenno
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| Location | Djenné Cercle, Mali |
| Coordinates | 13°53′26″N 4°32′25″W / 13.89056°N 4.54028°WCoordinates: 13°53′26″N 4°32′25″W / 13.89056°N 4.54028°W |
| Official name: Old Towns of Djenné | |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iii, iv |
| Designated | 1988 |
| Reference no. | 116-01 |
| State | Mali |
| Region | List of World Heritage Sites in Africa |
| Occupation Phase I | 250 B.C.-A.D. 50 |
| Occupation Phase II | A.D. 50-A.D. 300 |
| Occupation Phase III | A.D. 300-A.D. 900 |
| Archaeologists | Susan and Roderick McIntosh |
| Area | over 82 acres |
Djenné-Djenno (also Jenne-Jeno; /ˈdʒɛniː dʒʌˌnoʊ/) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Niger River Valley in the country of Mali. Literally translated to "ancient Djenné", it is the original site of Djenné, Mali and considered to be among the oldest urbanized centers and the best known archaeology site in sub-Saharan Africa. This archaeological site is located about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) away from the modern town, and is believed to have been involved in long distance trade and possibly the domestication of African rice. The site is believed to exceed 33 hectares (82 acres); however this is yet to be confirmed with extensive survey work. With the help of archaeological excavations mainly by Susan and Roderick McIntosh, the site is known to have been occupied from 250 B.C. to 900 A.D. The city is believed to have been abandoned and moved where the current city is located due to the spread of Islam and the building of the Great Mosque of Djenné. Previously, it was assumed that advanced trade networks and complex societies did not exist in the region until the arrival of traders from Southwest Asia. However, sites such as Djenné-Djenno disprove this, as these traditions in West Africa flourished long before.
With the help of archaeological excavations, radiocarbon dates have been collected showing that people first settled there permanently in about 250 B.C. This first occupation of the site (which lasted from 250 B.C. to A.D. 50) is known as Phase I and is some of the earliest evidence for iron production in sub-Saharan Africa. This initial phase is not associated with the Later Stone Age, and there has never been an occupation from this period at the site, or evidence for it has never been found. Until 250 B.C., the area surrounding Djenné-Djenno was either uninhabited or visited by nomadic groups that stayed for short periods. Geomorphological data show that the region consisted mostly of swampland at that time. Groups only began permanently occupying the area after a dry episode in which annual flooding receded and decreased the size of the swamps. Faunal remains at the site from this occupation have included catfish and Nile perch but mostly cow, leading to the assumption that this first phase might be associated with hunter-gatherer or pastoral modes of subsistence. During this period there is no evidence for rice production, however it is believed that these people might have been rice producers, even though no definitive evidence has been discovered yet. Phase II is defined by a larger population and definitive evidence for the mass production of rice. The borders of the site expanded during this period (possibly covering 100,000 square meters or more), as well as the presence of permanent mud brick architecture. It is inferred from this that rice domestication might have led to higher population, or higher populations led to the domestication of rice in this period. Phase III dates from about A.D. 300 to A.D. 900 and is believed to have an even higher population based on crowded cemeteries. The site also has evidence for a more intensive occupation through deep house deposits, possibly from multiple generations. Since there is no evidence for a fourth phase, it is expected that towards the end of Phase III the city experienced a slow decline in population and eventually a total abandonment. However, very little is known about why this decline happened, and more research is needed.
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