World Heritage Identification Number: 1602
World Heritage since: 2019
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso
Continent: Africa
UNESCO World Region: Africa
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Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites of Burkina Faso: A Testament to Pre-Industrial Iron Production
The Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites of Burkina Faso, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019, offer a unique glimpse into pre-industrial African iron production. Comprising five distinct locations across the Nord and Centre-Nord regions of the country, these sites provide valuable insights into the development of ironworking techniques over a period spanning more than two millennia.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
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.Encyclopedia Record: Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites of Burkina Faso
The Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites of Burkina Faso are a collection of ancient metallurgy sites across five locations in the Nord and Centre-Nord regions of Burkina Faso, used to extract iron from ore. The oldest of these structures are dated from roughly 800 BC, making them the most ancient known examples of metallurgy in Burkina Faso. In 2019, the sites were registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, because of the exemplary evidence of ancient metalworking. Unlike other sites that are listed by UNESCO, these were chosen because it's a clear relationship between direct iron smelting and early human society. They were able to create an efficient way to mass produce iron during a pre-industrial Africa.Additional Site Details
Area: 122.3 hectares
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: 12.5877583333 , -3.3289861111
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© DSCPM/MCAT. Used with permission.
