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Saloum Delta - Senegal
Website Category: Traditional Cultural Landscapes
Area: 1,458 km2
Inscribed: 2011
Criteria: (iii) cultural tradition (iv) icon of an era (v) interaction with the environment
Location and Values: The Saloum Delta is close to the African continent’s western extremity, about 100 km south of the Senegalese capital, Dakar. It is an extensive area of mudflats, mangrove swamp and channels, with about 200 small islands, some of which are forested. It has been settled by fishermen for centuries, and a rich cultural history is being pieced together from archaeological evidence in the delta. In particular, 218 man-made mounds, some several hundred metres long and made of shells have been discovered. Some 28 of these mounds have been found to include burial tumuli containing some remarkable artefacts.
Slideshow of the Saloum Delta:
Google Earth View: To view satellite imagery of the Saloum Delta on Google Earth, click here. This opens a new window, so when you are finished, just close the Google Earth page and you will be straight back here to continue browsing. You can learn an enormous amount from this kind of ‘bird’s eye view’, so take a few minutes to explore the area by panning in and out, and looking to left and right at high resolution. This gives an excellent idea of the delta’s characteristics, although it is not possible to make out the man-made mounds that are of such archaeological interest.
Links to other traditional cultural landscapes: Konso I Kaya Forests I Djenne I Bandiagara I Sukur I Osun-Osogbo I Mapungubwe I Richtersveld I Koutammakou I Matobo Hills I ǂKhomani
Other Links: Official UNESCO Site Details
