The Senegambian stone circles

Summary

The stone circles of The Gambia and Senegal are striking reminders of the region’s past. The archive focuses on sites around Wassu and Kerr Batch, with photographs of the standing stones and their distinctive forms.

Stone, skill and organisation

The monuments were cut from laterite, a material found locally. Many stones within a circle are similar in height and shape. Their construction and transport point to considerable skill, planning and collective effort.

Interpreting the monuments

The original page describes excavations, burial evidence and attempts to understand how the circles were arranged. It also includes a contributor’s interpretation of possible geometric patterns. These ideas should be read as interpretations, rather than settled explanations of the monuments’ purpose.

Preserving the story

The archive records the development of local museums and efforts to protect the sites. Its photographs offer a useful introduction to this important part of Senegambian heritage.

Photographs from the archive

Edited from the original Gambia.dk archive. Historical information reflects the period described.