The

tumuli A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds or ''kurgans'', and may be found throughout much of the world. A cairn, which is a mound of stones built ...

of Cekeen are located in the

Diourbel Department Diourbel Department is one of the 45 departments of Senegal, one of the three constituting the Diourbel Region. There is one commune in the department, which is Diourbel. The rural districts (''communautés rurales'') are: * Ndindy Arrondisse ...

of the

Diourbel Region The Diourbel Region ( Serer and Cangin: ''Jurbel'') is a region of Senegal. The regional capital is the city of Diourbel. The region corresponds roughly to the precolonial Kingdom of Bawol and is still called by that name. Bawol (or ''Baol'' ...

. The Diourbel Region and the city of

Diourbel Diourbel ( ar, ديوربل; Serer: ''Jurbel'', Wolof: ''Njaaréem'') is a town in Senegal lying east of Thiès. It is known for its mosque and local groundnut industry and is the capital of the Diourbel Region. The population in 2013 was 1 ...

were part of the precolonial

Kingdom of Baol The Kingdom of Baol or Bawol in central Senegal was one of the kingdoms that arose from the split-up of the Empire of Jolof (Diolof) in 1555. The ruler ( Teigne or Teen) reigned from a capital in Diourbel. The Kingdom encompassed a strip of l ...

, now part of present-day

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...

Purpose

In this area, a tumulus was used as a

burial mound Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...

for chiefs. A deceased chief would be joined by other members of his court along with important objects such as furniture and other implements.Les tumulus de Cekeen - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
/ref> In this case, he and his escort would be situated in the chief's hut, whereupon the hut was buried with soil and rocks. Thousands of such tumuli exist in Senegal, but it is in Cekeen that the biggest and most densely scattered occur.

World Heritage Status

This site was added to the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

Tentative List on November 18, 2005 in the Cultural category.

References

Serer history History of Senegal World Heritage Tentative List for Senegal Prehistoric Africa Archaeological sites in Senegal Tumuli Archaeology of Western Africa {{Senegal-struct-stub

Purpose

World Heritage Status

See also

References