The Tomb of Askia: earthen architecture and community spaces

Useful to know

Askia's tomb in Gao, Mali, was built in 1495. UNESCO describes it as an example of Sahel land architecture. The complex includes a pyramidal tomb, two mosques, a cemetery, and an open meeting place. [1]

If you look only at the high central form, you miss the organization of the whole ensemble. Compare closed religious spaces and open area. The material must also participate in the description, without the earthwork being equated to a stone pyramid. Similar silhouette does not mean the same technology, historical tradition or public function.