Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites of Burkina Faso World Heritage Site

Official name

Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites of Burkina Faso | UNESCO

Country

Burkina Faso | Map

Continent

Africa

Location

12.5877° Lat, -3.3289° Lon | Map

Code

1602

Time Zone

Africa/Ouagadougou (GMT, +0000)

Current Time

Category

Cultural

Description

Inscribed 2019. This property is composed of five elements located in different provinces of the country. It includes about fifteen standing, natural-draught furnaces, several other furnace structures, mines and traces of dwellings. Douroula, which dates back to the 8th century BCE, is the oldest evidence of the development of iron production found in Burkina Faso. The other components of the property – Tiwêga, Yamané, Kindibo and Békuy – illustrate the intensification of iron production during the second millennium CE. Even though iron ore reduction –obtaining iron from ore – is no longer practiced today, village blacksmiths still play a major role in supplying tools, while taking part in various rituals.