Senegambian stone circles: over 1,000 laterite monuments spanning 350 km along River Gambia. The Senegambian stone circles comprise over 1,000 monuments in a band 100 km wide and 350 km along the River Gambia They cover approximately 15,000 square miles between Senegal and Gambia rivers The four main groups are Sine Ngayene and Wanar (Senegal), and Wassu and Ker Batch (Gambia)
Senegambian stone circles: 1,000+ laterite monuments spanning 350km along River Gambia. 7-ton pillars in circles of 8-14 stones near burial mounds. UNESCO World Heritage, 3rd-16th century AD. Ancient funerary architecture
Key Facts
- The Senegambian stone circles comprise over 1,000 monuments in a band 100 km wide and 350 km along the River Gambia
- They cover approximately 15,000 square miles between Senegal and Gambia rivers
- The four main groups are Sine Ngayene and Wanar (Senegal), and Wassu and Ker Batch (Gambia)
- 93 stone circles contain numerous tumuli (burial mounds) with material dating from 3rd century to 16th century AD
- Stones were quarried with iron tools into cylindrical or polygonal 7-ton pillars averaging 2 m high
- Each circle contains 8-14 pillars and measures 4-6 m across, located near burial mounds
- Stones include V-shaped and Y-shaped variants; some have cup-shaped hollows on top
- UNESCO designated four groups as a World Heritage Site
- Paul Devereux found no central alignments but parallel lines and triangles suggest underlying geometry
Related site: Senegambian Stone Circles — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: African Megaliths and Ancient Astronomy | Charles Stirton | Megalithomania 2007 | AUDIO ONLY by MegalithomaniaUK