Name: Koumbi Saleh

Region: Hodh El Chargui

Country: Mauritania

Continent: Africa

Area: 4,875 km²

Former capital of the Ghana Empire, Koumbi Saleh is a historical site only recently rediscovered after centuries of obscurity. Known for its grand avenues lined with ruined houses, numerous burial sites, and mosques, this ancient royal city offers a wealth of discovery and adventure during your journey to Mauritania.

History

The construction of the city dates back to the 4th century. The site experienced its golden age between the 9th and 15th centuries. Excavations conducted by accredited archaeologists (beginning with Bonnel de Mézières in 1914) have precisely determined that present-day Koumbi Saleh sits on the site of the former capital of the Ghana Empire. Research has uncovered a vast number of structures of extraordinary architecture and historical significance unparalleled in sub-Saharan Africa. Today, it ranks among the most populous communes of the Moughata'a with a population of 12,432 inhabitants. Here you will encounter all the tribal entities that make up Mauritanian society as well as all the ethnic components of the Mauritanian people (Moor, Fulani, Soninke, etc.)

Today

The Koumbi archaeological site is divided into two distinct quarters. To the northeast stands the upper town. It comprises houses built of stone and surrounded by gardens. This was the quarter of foreign traders, most of whom were Muslim. Arranged in a square form with sides of 700 meters, this quarter contains twelve mosques, each with its own imam and reader. To the southwest lies the lower town. Extending over an area of 500 meters by 700 meters, this quarter is primarily composed of banco houses (dried red earth). This is the sector of the Sarakollé or indigenous peoples. It is also known as the quarter of the pagans. Within this part of the city stands the royal palace with its glass windows and interior walls adorned with frescoes and statuettes.

Not far from the king's palace, which is also animist in nature, stands a mosque built for the king's guests, most of whom were Muslim. At the city's edge, you will find a forest of sacred wood. It is inhabited by priests in charge of the national cult. These guardians also protect the idols and tombs of sovereigns. Looking at the city's general structure, whether in the upper or lower town, the houses—most of which are built in multiple stories—are tightly packed, almost adjoining one another. The city has very few streets, with the exception of the grand central avenue (approximately 12 meters wide) that runs through it from east to west. This avenue also connects the city's main square to the principal mosque and the market situated at the eastern end.

Climate and Geography

The city of Koumbi, or Koumbi Saleh, is the capital of the Ghana Empire. It is located between the town of Timbédra (80 km away) and Bousteila in the Hodh El Chargui region, in southeastern Mauritania and just a stone's throw from the Malian border. The population is primarily composed of Arab-Berber tribes.

Koumbi enjoys a sahelo-Saharan climate, extremely hot with temperatures reaching 42°C in May and a relative decline during the period from December to mid-March. Temperature ranges vary between 37.5°C maximum and 24.6°C minimum.