Monumental architecture in mountain landscapes: thediy-geδ-baysites of northern Cameroon

The Diy-Gid-Biy Cultural Landscape of the Mandara Mountains, northern Cameroon, features ancient dry-stone terraces and platforms that represent the earliest well-documented human occupation in the region. These sites challenge conventional understandings of monumentality by suggesting they were indigenous responses to severe droughts during the 15th and 16th centuries. However, their significance extends beyond environmental adaptation, as they also reflect complex social dynamics between montagnard communities and emerging state societies in the surrounding plains. Current research highlights the need for further investigation into the variation of these sites within inhabited landscapes and a reevaluation of historical models that often dichotomize mountain and plain environments.

MacEachern, S., & David, N. (2013). Monumental architecture in mountain landscapes: thediy-geδ-baysites of northern Cameroon. Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa, 48(2), 241–262. https://doi.org/10.1080/0067270x.2013.790653