Posted
on February 16, 2014
The
Gambia is an unusual nation. It is the smallest country in mainland
Africa, and it is made up of a narrow strip of land on each side of the
Gambia River and a bit of land where that river meets the Atlantic
Ocean—and nothing else!
Other
than the narrow bit of coastline, the Gambia is entirely surrounded
by Senegal. As a matter of fact, I cannot believe that it is not a
part of Senegal! (Check out why it's not here.)
Long
before Africa was carved up by European nations into colonies, many
kingdoms and civilizations arose and ruled, expanded and died. The
Serer civilization, between 300 B.C.E. and 1500 C.E., built stone
circles and other megaliths in what is now Gambia and Senegal.
I
may have made it sound as if the Serer people built two or three
stone circles, but in actuality, they built around 17,000 stone
circles scattered over 2,000 separate sites! Scientists estimate that
around 29,000 stones were used in the construction of these circles.
Many
of the stones are moderately large—averaging around 2 meters (6
feet) in height and 7 tons in weight. The Serer people used iron
tools to carve the laterite stones into cylindrical shapes or into
polygonal pillars. Some of the stones remain upright, although some
have fallen over, but evidence shows that very few have been removed.
Archeologists
have also found evidence of the Serer civilization in addition to the
stone circles, including pottery sherds, metal tools, human skeletons
that had been carefully buried, and items buried with their owners.
All the evidence indicates that the Serer people had created a
prosperous, organized society that lasted a long time.
Learn
more about the Senegambian stone circles here.
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